Kismet and Kindred Spirits
by Raven Jadewolfe
Summary: Two years ago Edward was wrenched out of Bella's life, taking their kismet, or destiny, with him, but before he disappeared, they made a promise that changed their lives in ways they never imagined. AH/OOC/Language/Lemons NOW COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

**As you should all know by now, I own no copyrighted material.**

**Warning to readers right now. I am a BIG fan of L & L. Language and Lemons. If you have issues with either, this story is not for you, go find your entertainment somewhere else please.**

**Second warning, anyone who gets upset over same-sex pairings had better high-tail it out of here as well.**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

** Prologue**

Edward's cat green eyes are puffy and red from crying, I know mine are too. Alice looks like a drown rat and Jasper is sitting with his back to us, but the shaking of his shoulders betray his crying. We'd been in our meadow all afternoon, hiding from the reality that today is our last day together ever. It's so horrible, Alice, Jasper, Edward and I have been best friends since we were seven years old and Alice had punched Jasper for stealing her yellow crayon. She had been coloring her dream car, a Porsche. Edward had pushed her and I had hit him for hurting my friend. By lunch time, the four of us were inseparable. We, meaning Edward, Jasper, Alice, and I, had looked out for each other from that day on.

Until now, that is.

Edward fucking Masen has come to steal our kismet, our destiny. I cannot imagine, even now that the time is upon us, the thought of never seeing or hearing Edward ever again. We are down to just a few hours now, the bastard will be arriving to pick Edward up at 8 pm. A new bout of sobbing begins with the acceptance that this short time is all we would ever have. After today, I will never hear his voice, feel his hand in mine, or look into those piercing green eyes.

Starting tomorrow, we would be forbidden to do something as small as acknowledge one another on the street. Yet another bullshit order handed from the court at the behest of Masen, Edward was not going to be permitted any contact with us, the only friends and family he has known. A clean break, the fuctard Masen had told my Edward. How can this bastard get away with this?! Everyone knows that the only reason he suddenly decided to be a father after fifteen years is Edward's trust fund.

Edward silently strokes my hair as I cry, he cannot bring himself to try and comfort me with words he does not feel. "Why can't he just die? I hate him!" I whimper, clinging to my bronze haired angels favorite X-Men tee as I sob into his chest. "You can't leave us, leave me. Edward, you promised!"

He hugs me closer to him, his lips brushing the side of my head, "I don't have a choice love," he has called both of us girls that since we were little, but lately it had started to mean a lot more between just the two of us," If there was something I could do, I would have jumped on that shit and had it done already."

I choke back another sob and get to my feet, dragging him with me. He doesn't let go of my hand once we're standing and it's comforting, even now, because I know he can't bear the thought of leaving either. A light bulb goes off in my head. "We can hide you Edward! Between the three of us, we could keep that bastard from ever finding you."

His signature crooked smile lights up his face and he pushes his wire rimmed glasses back up his nose before wiping away the fresh tears on my cheeks. "If I could run away from all of this, I would take you with me, Isabella, my silly little lamb." He punctuates his words by pressing his lips to mine and then gently pushing my head back to his chest. He rests his cheek on my head and begins to hum the song he has been writing just for me.

He had never called me Isabella until six months ago when we'd ended up kissing during an argument over what music to listen to on my iPod. We were sitting together on my bean bag chair because it sat against the back wall of the house. A wall that was nothing but glass and gave an unobstructed view of the ocean. We haven't spent more than a day apart since. It worked out in the end, because two weeks after our first kiss, Jazz and Alice had theirs, so no jealousy or awkwardness ever developed between the four of us.

I wrap my arms around his waist on hold on to him as tightly as I am able, "Stop being such a masocistic lion then and let us hide you, please." I don't try to hide the desperation in my voice.

He sighs, then jumps back, but grabs my hands eagerly once more before my fragile ego can be injured. "Let's go to your house for a while, just you and me. Jazz and Alice can go her house or something. It might give us more time if we split up and keeping moving around," his words come out so fast that it takes a second for my brain to process them. He looks at me, one eyebrow raised, until I bob my head once. I'm confused, but I trust him not to lead me wrong.

"Fantastic!" he gushes, imitating David Tennant on Doctor Who, then nearly rips my arm off as he proceeds to drag me back down the secret trail leading back to our homes. When we reach the fork, he instinctively takes the one that goes off to the right, it's the one that leads to my aunt and uncle's monstrosity that they call a house. He had only been riding it on his dirt bike three or four nights a weeks for the past four months to sleep in my room with me because I sometimes have night terrors and he didn't want me to wake up in a panic all alone.

We reach the back of the three story mansion and quickly check to make sure no one is looking before climbing the trellis to the window on the third story that leads to the attic. I heave the window open and climb in, rushing to right myself and extend a hand to help Edward in. He takes it and kisses the top of my hand once safely inside. I feel my cheeks burning under his intense gaze. "I think I will miss that more than anything," he murmurs, stroking my flaming skin with the back of his free hand.

He steps away just then, swiftly closing the window and slinking off towards the room that had been a secret place for our little gang to hang out since we had found it last winter while exploring the massive house. He pushes open the little door then ducks down to enter first. I smack my head off of the wood as I duck down, inciting a hearty chuckle from Edward as he breaks my fall for the millionth time. "You need to be more careful love or there won't be enough of you left for me to come back to," Edward says, his voice sounding sad and tired in those few seconds, like a person who has the weight of the world resting on their shoulders.

The atmosphere changes with his words, it suddenly feels like there is an electric charge to it. I brush away some dust that found its way onto his forehead and tuck a few errant strands of hair behind his ear. His breathing hitches when my fingers touch his face and his eyes fall closed. I raise my other hand to his face and close my eyes as well while I memorize his features by touch alone.

"Can I touch you Isabella?" he asks, his voice trembling. I nod once and immediately feel his soft fingers on me, exploring every inch of my face and neck.

I let my hands roam from his face, down his neck, to his chest. Suddenly he pulls back and I open my eyes to catch him pulling off his shirt. The blood floods back to my face and as he reaches to touch me again, I put a finger up, then take off my own. His face is as red as mine when I close my eyes once more and lay my hands on his bare chest.

While our hands roam, a part of my mind notices that both Edward's and my breathing has gotten ragged. My whole body is screaming at me, wanting his hands everywhere at once. When his left hand brushes my breast, a shiver courses through me, but I am far from cold. He starts to pull his hand away. "Don't Edward, please, touch me," I whisper then gasp as both of his hands cup my breasts and I can feel his hot breath on my skin.

I arch my back towards him, hoping he understands what I need. A second later, his lips capture my right nipple and I whimper as he begins to suck on it. He is so enthusiastic that he pushes me over on to my back, never letting go of me as we fall. He readjusts himself as he switches to my other nipple to hold his weight off of me with one arm and caressing me from chest to thigh and back with the other. I can feel his hardness against my center and my hips move against him in an attempt to create more friction. His hand darts to my leg and pulls it up around his waist and he pushes himself against me, causing us both to moan at the contact. My hands tangle in his hair as we move against one another, fervently trying to press more of my skin to his.

Suddenly he pulls back to hover over me, his emerald eyes dark and hooded. "I want you to know how much you mean to me so that in the days or weeks or years it takes to find each other again, you will always know that I love you and only you. I want to make love to you Isabella," he murmurs, the tone of his voice making my already wet panties soaked, "Will you make love to me?"

I lean up and kiss him as hard as I can, doing my damnedest to put all of my love and devotion into it. When we have to pull away for air I feel a tear run down my face. "I love you Edward. Make love to me. You are the only one who is ever going to touch me like that, no matter how long it takes to find each other. We are kismet, remember?"

"My destiny," he murmurs in agreement as he kisses my tears away and then clumsily undresses me, then himself, before laying beside me and pulling my lips back to his. When his trembling hand reaches the apex between my thighs, I timidly brush his member, making him gasp. Slowly we stumble through our exploration of one another until we are brave enough to fully touch each other. As I grasp his arousal, his long fingers find my entrance. I involuntarily buck my hips, forcing his fingers into me. I moan out loud at the new sensations coursing through me and begin working my hand up and down his shaft. "You are so wet, does that mean you like what I'm doing?" Edward asks as his fingers move in and out of me. I bite my bottom lip and nod my head, my blush hot enough to cook an egg. "I like what you're doing as well," he replies as his forehead comes to rest against mine.

Soon, my body is crying out for more than his fingers. "Edward, I need to feel you," I beg him, my fingernails leaving red lines as I claw at his chest with my free hand. He responds by kissing me harder than he ever has before. I feel his tongue dart along my bottom lip and I answer by letting him in, our tongues immediately touching, curling, and twisting around each other. He rolls us over so that he is on top of me again and I feel the tip of him enter me. I rock my hips to push him deeper, but he pulls back.

"Fuck!" he spits and suddenly he moves from me as my eyes fly open in confusion.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" I ask, panic tainting my tone as I fold my arms around my torso to cover myself. My eyesight blurs as new tears begin to fall. He grabs one of Jasper's bags and dumps its contents on the floor before looking at me. His face changes from a look of determination to one of pain as he moves towards me.

"You didn't do anything wrong love," he says in a soothing tone as he moves my arms to my sides, "Please don't cover yourself up. I want to remember every single part of you. I just needed to find a condom." He kisses me again, then holds up a little square packet which he tears open with his teeth.

It takes a minute for us to get the sleeve on correctly, but the hiccup only adds to the anticipation building in us. This time there is no hesitation and he enters me in one fluid motion. I wasn't worried about my hymen. I went horseback riding often in the summer and its common for it to be broken then. That aside, the amazing feeling of him being completely inside of me can only be described as Wow. Edward stays perfectly still until I move my hips, urging him to continue. He moves himself to again keep his weight off of me, then begins sliding in and out of my heated core. "You feel so fucking good Bella," he moans as he moves, "You're so damn tight, wrapped around my cock. Oh my god, your so fucking perfect."

The discomfort soon fades and I find myself eagerly moving to meet his thrusts. I don't try to stop the mewling sounds spouting continuously out of my mouth, begging him to increase his pace as I lift one leg and throw it over his waist. With the shift in position, he is touching many new areas and I feel my stomach beginning to tighten. "Faster Edward," I cry out and he complies, thrusting into me harder and faster until I feel something in me snap and my whole body shakes as I gasp his name.

He doesn't slow as my first orgasm takes me, grunting and growling with effort. His hair is soaked with the perspiration that is making both of our bodies slick. "Bella, I'm going to-" his words cut off by the moan that rumbles out of him as he buries himself in me, finding his own release. The feeling alone is enough to send me over the edge again.

We spend a while afterwards just kissing and laying there, our bodies tangled together. With our arms wrapped tightly around one another, we somehow doze off until the ringing of my cell phone wakes us up. I scramble for my jeans and dig my phone out. It's Jake. I flip open the phone, "What's wrong Jake?"

I can hear Edward dressing hastily as my uncle sighs, "Have you seen Edward Bella? He didn't show up to his parents like he was supposed to and that bastard Masen called the cops. They're out looking for him now."

I look to Edward, who heard every word. He shakes his head and mouths 'You don't know where I am' before kneeling down to help me into my jeans. I swallow my panic, "No Jake, the last time I saw him was when we were walking the trail home from the meadow. We separated at the fork. He said he'd be over to say good-bye but he never showed. I'll head up there now to see if I can find him. I hope I don't find him though, Forks is his home and Carlisle and Esme are his parents,like they have been for fifteen years, not this douchbag that popped up out of nowhere, trying to get his claws into Edward's trust fund."

Jake knows that I am lying to him, but doesn't call me on it, he hates that Edward is leaving almost as much as I do. "Okay honey, but take your hoodie, phone, and a flashlight. Leave Seth at home though, he's too young to be of any help. Love you."

I take a deep breath to steady my voice, "I love you too." I snap the phone closed and am immediately distracted by Edward's lips on mine again, his fevered kiss clouding my brain.

When he pulls away, I can feel the wetness of our combined tears on my face. "Keep your eyes closed Bella," He instructs, "I'm sorry and I love you, but count to one hundred and twenty before opening them love. By that time I will be gone and it will be like I never existed. Nothing but a dream," His lips touch mine once more. "Be happy Isabella, you must find a destiny without me now. I love you," he breathes against my lips, "Now start counting. Out loud."

"I love you too Edward, please don't leave me, there is no future for me if you're not in it," I beg, taking a step forward as his hands slip from mine. "Count Bella," he commands, his voice cracking. "One. Tw-two. Three," my knees buckled and I fall to the floor, barely catching myself before my head slams off of the floor, "F-f-four. Five. S-six. Seven. Eight. N-n-nine. Te-t-ten. Oh god Edward, I can't do this. Please don't leave me alone," I fall forward until my cheek is pressed against the wooden floor. I can hear the rain falling on the roof.

If this were a different time. the sound would be comforting to me.

Any other time though and I wouldn't have just lost my future, my only reason to live.

I fold my arms around my stomach and curl into a ball as my grief overwhelms me.

**Okay ladies and gentlemen, I'm not trying to be a bitch here but if you are interested in seeing what I can do with this, please leave a review. I'm not going to waste my time if I don't get at least some feedback.**

**Translation:**

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	2. Chapter 1 First Day of School

**Just so everyone knows, I don't own anything Twilight or copyrighted, I just enjoy twisting and ****dementing**** them for my perverse pleasure.**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 1-First Day of School**

**~Bella~**

"Wakey wakey baby girl, time for school," Jasper sings as he pulls back the covers. I force away the dream of _him_ away and open my eyes with a groan, revealing the silver-eyed and blond haired visage of my tormentor. I try to glare at him, but he just chuckles at me, "Ooh, kitten going to show me her claws?"

"Do we really have to go? Why can't we just skip the first day?" I whine as he plants a kiss on my forehead and drops my clothes in my lap. I throw the comforter off, not caring that my half brother is ten feet away and tug off the same X-Men shirt I have slept in every night for the past two years. I then pull on the hip hugger jeans and fitted tee that says 'Sin Like You Mean It' in red across the chest.

Jasper walks over to my vanity and runs my hairbrush through his shaggy blond hair before turning to smirk at me. "Because Uncle Jake and Aunt Leah would be pissed if we started ditching the very first day of our junior year Bells. You don't want to skip today, trust me."

Jasper, a New Age dreamer with the body of a male model, is thirteen months older than me but he was held back in kindergarten because he spent three months in the hospital when we were in the car the accident that killed my mother and our father. Renee was mom to him in every way but biologically, his own birth mother skipped town the day she was released from the hospital after having Jasper.

Maria, his birth mother, and Charlie, our dad, had split up before she had discovered that she was pregnant. When she found out, she threatened to get an abortion unless he paid for all of her living expenses and topped it off with five grand worth of mad money per month to play with. Charlie loved kids and refused to even think of the pregnancy being terminated so he did as she asked. She later failed in trying to blackmail our dad into paying her an absurd amount of money after my brother was born and left as soon as she was no longer obligated.

He tosses my red Doc Marten's at me that I was searching under my bed for, nearly hitting me in the face with one. I flip him the bird before sliding the boots on and lacing them up. "Why in the hell would I want to go back to that hellhole Jazz? Considering I managed to get expelled last semester after knocking Mr. Greene flat on his ass, I think I know how this year is going to go." I jump to my feet and move to my vanity to brush my hair out and put my black eyeliner on.

Hell, I'm not ashamed to admit that I look good. I stand a decent 5' 7", weigh in at about a decent 125-130 lbs. My waist length mahogany hair is full and shiny and turns red in the bright sun. My skin is pale and smooth as porcelain and I have just enough muscle definition to make most girls think twice about fighting me. The Muay-Thai lessons I have been taking for six years don't hurt either. My chocolate eyes are outlined by long, thick lashes and flecked with shards of gold, which saves them from being plain old muddy brown.

I could probably have any guy at Forks High School, I'm sure chased enough to back up that theory, but they hold zero appeal to me. They never have and never will either. Poor bastards, they never stood a chance. It's been two years and they still can't hold a candle to someone I'll never see again. Unconsciously, I stroke the leather cuff on my wrist that only comes off for showers and shit like washing the Supra or Seth.

_It will be like I never existed._

_Nothing but a dream._

Bullshit. The ache in my fucking chest that I live with every damn day proves he exists somewhere.

I hear Jasper rummaging through my walk in closet as I get ready. "What in the nine hells are you looking for in there? Your blow up doll? I think Alice killed it again brother dear. She gets a little pissed when she starts thinking that she's being upstaged by an inflatable piece of vinyl."

He exits the closet as he pulls my Lacuna Coil tee over his head, not even bothering to change out of the baggy jeans he slept in last night. I swear he looks like the poster child for stoners even though I know he doesn't like the shit except for maybe some weed every now and then. "Har-har Bellaboo." he replies sarcastically, "I just wanted my damn shirt back and I knew you had it hidden in the back of that cave you call a closet. Where's your bag? I need a smoke." I point to the black bag that's covered in multi-colored glittery skulls as I finish winding my hair up with my black enameled chop sticks. He lights one for both of us then stuffs the pack back in my bag.

"Jake and Leah leave already?" I ask as he hands me mine and drops himself into my giant bean bag in the corner.

Hmm, that used to be_ his_ favorite place, a million years ago, before his biological father showed up after fifteen fucking years and had the court determine in his favor. The jerk had convinced them that he would be better suited with him instead of the people who practically raised him since birth, Esme and Carlisle Cullen, his biological aunt and her husband. I will hate Edward Masen for the rest of my life for taking away my best friend, the only person to ever hold my heart or man to have my body. Even if I can never see him again, I will only ever be his.

One more year and I can start looking for him, we'll both be eighteen then.

But I really stop having that fucking dream about _him_. It makes being awake, trapped in the clutches of banality, nearly unbearable for days after I have it.

I need laid so fucking bad on top of it all, it's been two damn months. I wonder if Jen is up for a little romp this weekend?

"Hey, space cadet, are we taking my car, yours, or riding separately?" Jasper nudges my shoulder. I take one last drag off my cig and grind it out as I get to my feet.

"I don't know what you're ass is doing, but I'm taking my Supra," I inform him as I gather my bag and pick my keys up off the nightstand, "Besides, I don't want to watch you and Ali fondle each other all the way to school today." I turn and bound out the door and down the steps, through the kitchen where I make a pit stop for my pop-tart and coffee, then finally out to my ice-blue baby after giving breakfast and saying good morning to Seth, my half wolf, half husky, all stupid, puppy dog.

Jasper gets to his metallic hunter green Mustang just as I turn the ignition so I throw the car in reverse and stomp on the gas, squealing the tires as the Supra flies backwards out of the garage. I quickly spin her around, shifting into drive as I slide and jam down on the gas again, this time throwing gravel as the car launches forward and begins speeding down the the drive. I put my sunglasses on, light a cigarette, and watch the speedometer climb.

It's a longer drive to Forks High from the Quileute Indian reservation but Jake and Leah never forced us to switch schools when the house was finished our freshman year. Our aunt and uncle are full-blooded Indians, but Jake's dad and mine were adopted by our grandparents at the same time. Billy was ten and Charlie was four. Billy wanted to keep his last name Black and was allowed, but Charlie wanted his adopted parents named, Swan, instead of Whitlock. Uncle Jake had defended our deceased father's actions because he's just that kind of person. What's kind of funny about it all is that Jake isn't really my uncle at all, he's my cousin. Billy, Jake's father, and his mom, Sarah, were just sixteen when Jake was born. I wasn't born until my dad was twenty five, making Jake fifteen when I was born so Jasper and I grew up looking to him as an uncle and that has never changed. A few years after our parents died, Jasper wanted to change his last name to Whitlock in a misguided effort to honor our father. It hurt when he was allowed to do it, but now that I'm older, it's not that big of a deal.

I shift into fifth gear as I sort through my memories. I had wanted to marry my uncle until I was twelve and discovered boys in earnest. Well, I discovered _he_ was a boy and suddenly I didn't want to marry Jake anymore. Of course I did what any smitten tween would, I picked a fight with _him_ over something stupid. I was so pissed when he didn't fight back that I punched him in the nose, which broke his glasses, and ran away crying.

That's how I found the meadow. I had ran until my legs couldn't take anymore and fell down. When I'd caught my breath enough to look around, it was the most magical place my child's eyes had ever seen. _He_ had found me there, hours later, still sniffling. His nose was swelled, glasses taped, bronze hair falling into his beautiful green eyes, and carrying one of Esme's prized blue long stem roses in his hand. He had been such a gentleman, admitting that he didn't know what he had done wrong, but was sorry anyways then thrust the flower at me while saying it would make me feel better.

I hear Jasper blowing his horn as he passes me on a straight stretch and I upshift into sixth gear and floor it. I manage to get ahead of him at the last minute and skid into my parking spot just in front of him. I pull the emergency brake and cut the engine. Unable to hide my grin as I climb out of the car and swing my bag onto my shoulder, I just salute my brother as he gives me the middle finger. "Fucking sore loser!" I yell to him just as a yellow Porsche screeches to a halt on the other side of Jazz's Mustang.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, the Alice Brandon has arrived.

I see Jasper go around the vehicle and help the little pixie out. As her tiny form comes into view, I can't help but laugh. Knee high witch boots, black, purple, and white pleated skirt, a white button up two sizes too small, and a black suede vest that was as long as her skirt. And then that goddamn hemp messenger bag. _He_ had bought it for her birthday a few weeks before he left.

I ignore the flocks of gawking students who are constantly vying for our attention and saunter over to the happy couple. "How's it gong Ali?" I ask as I take her violin case for her, "Aren't we just so happy to be back in school?"

She sticks her tongue out at me, the sun glinting off the barbell in her tongue, "Yeah, just fucking thrilled Bellie. I'm going to have to spend an extra hour every morning mediating before school just to keep balanced. You're lucky they let you back in at all Bella Swan, after the shit you pulled last year. Think you can at least make the effort not to get suspended the first week? For me?"

I shrug noncommittally as we tread towards the main building, stopping to growl at a sophomore for getting too damn close. "It depends on who pisses me off, my precious pagan pixie. Maybe you should dance naked under the full moon or something and conjure me some good mojo. Is the party still on for this weekend? A couple people were wondering if they needed to bring their bikes up or not."

She giggles and bobs her head, making the glitter in her hair sparkle in the feeble light, "Yeah, mom and Laurent will most definitely be gone by the time we get out of school on Friday and won't be home until Tuesday sometime. Laurent has to meet with some clients about an estate sale. I guess some of the pieces they were going to throw out ended up being original pieces. Esme confirmed it herself and aunt Leah backed her up on it."

By this time, the bell for class is going off and we part ways for another round of 'How Many Ways Can We Kill a Students Brain Cells?' The curriculum taught is so outdated that it's not even funny. I spent half a semester expelled last year and still managed to pass just by taking the exams.

The late bell rings just before I walk into my English class, not like I really give a rat's ass. Mrs. Meyer glares at me as I make my way to the back of the class and slide into my seat. The bitch knows better than to say anything to me after I embarrassed her last year, when she was mutilating Jane Eyre and I called her on it. She tried to cowl me by asking if I wanted to teach the class, then got her ass handed to her when I not only agreed, but had the entire class understanding every damn word I said about it by the time class was over.

I put in one of my earbuds and lay my head back against the wall, trying to tune out the incessant buzzing of the other students. They're babbling inanely about a new student, supposedly a really cute boy. Fuck, here comes another golden retriever trying to hump my leg. Like Tyler, Mike, and Eric weren't bad enough. I suddenly miss Quil and Embry. They were probably the last people anyone would suspect of being gay, but people also have a tendency to eagerly compete for the Darwin Awards around these parts. They buffered the idiots for me and Alice when Jazz wasn't around and I wasn't allowed to kick anyone's ass. I might have to give them a call and ask them when we can all come out to Seattle U and spend a weekend partying with the college crowd. Definitely going to hook up with some hottie this weekend and fuck her brains out. It's been too damn long this time. The dream was proof of that.

I spend my morning in a fog, simply smiling and nodding to people's questions about the party at Alice's this weekend and ignoring most everything else, until I can slip into the teachers lounge between second and third period to grab another cup of coffee. Too bad I decided to wake up in time to listen to Mr. Bartlett drone on about Trigonometry. Yep, another iPod class for sure. I can't even remember what class I had right before lunch. All I knew that whole class is that I'm fucking hungry and some idiot greenhorns better not have sat at our fucking table.

As I shuffle towards the cafeteria, I get a hum across my skin that I haven't felt in years. Not since _he_ left. I look around as I go through the lunch line, not really paying attenton what I'm putting on my tray. I get my soda and pay for my lunch and notice someone sitting at our table. A bulky dark haired guy and some cute blond chick. Too old to be freshmen, probably some confused juniors or seniors. Better set that shit straight right now.

I stomp in their direction, ready to throw a shit fit, when Alice comes out of nowhere, pouncing on the guy while giggling like a fiend. "Emmie! Rose! Mom said you weren't starting until next week!" the evil pixie squeals, still clinging to the duo. I catch my brothers attention and gesture to them with my thumb. He shrugs and smiles, then mouths 'Ali's cousin' just before his girlfriend grabs his arm and drags him over to the table, nearly causing him to drop their tray of food. I take a deep breath and close the distance to the table, sitting myself opposite the newcomers and leaning back against the wall.

Damn, they're pretty good looking. Emmie or whatever his name is must be over 6' 5" and running at about 225 lbs of damn near pure muscle, but his blues eyes look kind, if not a little mischievous. Good, no worries about 'roid rage then. This must be the new boy everyone was talking about. The girl, Rose, is a voluptuous blond, standing nearly six feet tall herself, with very pretty violet blue eyes. She's dressed in designer labels and is meticulously color coordinated. Ah shit. She's a snob, so not my type. Too bad, she looks like she'd be a hellion in the sack.

"Oh Bella, you have to meet my cousin Emmett McCarty and his wife Rosalie, transferred here from Tennessee or Kentucky or something. They're seniors, a year ahead of us," Alice gushes, "Rose is originally from England but they got married over the summer after she turned eighteen and my sperm donor's sister threw a tantrum and tossed them out so mom offered to find them an affordable place here to finish with school. They're living in the apartment over the garage since they're a married couple. I can't believe mom was such a pain about that, I've wanted to move into that apartment since I was sixteen." I tune her out as her high speed commentary continues.

I glare at Jasper, then the other two, "Who gave Alice caffeine?"

Rosalie's supermodel face turns pale, "I let her drink the last of my soda at the end of French class," she admits in a definite British accent, "Is that a bad thing?" Her voice is so fucking hot. I mentally smack myself. Get a grip Swan, you'll be getting some this weekend. Fuck. I feel like a teenage boy, running around trying to fuck every female in sight.

Jasper, Emmett, and I groan while Alice gives us the evil eye. "You never, ever give Evil Tinkerbell caffeine Rose," Emmett patiently explains to his wife, "It's like giving two or three hundred of those little dudes from Gremlins an all you can eat buffet after midnight then soaking them in the bathtub for a few hours. Now combine all of that together and you get one third of Alice Brandon on caffeine." I stop listening to the conversation after that, unable to focus on what was being said.

I pick up my now empty tray and grab my bag, "I'm going out to the car, listen to some tunes, and relax before I get back to being slowly tortured to death. It was nice to meet you, Emmett, Rosalie." They say their goodbyes and I dump my tray on my way out.

As I head outside, the hum races across my skin again, causing goosebumps to rise up on my arms. I glance around, but no one is outside in the rain but me, so I jog down to the car and climb in, lighting a cigarette as the door closes. I pick a random cd that I burned on the laptop and slide it into the player. 'Starlight' from Muse flows from the speakers.

Nice.

_His emerald eyes are dark and hooded as he hovers over me. "I want you to know how much you mean to me so that in the days or weeks or years it takes to find each other again, you will always know that I love you and only you. I want to make love to you Isabella," he murmurs, "Will you make love to me?"_

A knocking on the window startles me awake. "Bella?" Fuck. Mike Newton. Talk about one happy puppy too many. I look at my cigarette and find that it has burned all the way down. I toss the butt out the window as I sit up, "What do you need Mike? And don't even think about asking me out. The answer is no, just like it has been for the past four years."

He looks anxious for a moment, then smirks as he comes up with an alternate idea to annoy me with. "I heard along the grape vine that Alice is throwing her back to school bash this weekend, is it true?"

"Yep, Friday night till Sunday," I answer as I roll the window up, shut the key off, and push open the door. I'm slightly chagrined when he dodges the door, "Don't plan on doing anything but riding dirt bikes or getting hammered though. Ali is taking every person's keys as soon as they get in the door unless they are a listed DD."

Mike follows on my heels as I trudge back the steps and head towards the school. "What are you going to be doing at the party Bella?" he inquires as we enter the building.

"Probably the same thing I do every year Mike," I snarl, I'm really getting tired of his male perkiness, "Try to take over the world." He stares at me blankly and I shake my head in disgust. Who doesn't know Pinky and the Brain? "I'm going to sit around watching dumb fucks get wasted and drag them to the bathroom before they can puke all over the carpet," I confess. I hate being a babysitter but there is no way in hell that I'm going to drink and lose control in a house full of idiots.

Thankfully the bell rings for class and I take the opportunity to slip into the girls bathroom so I don't have to deal with him walking me all the way to class. I hide in there until the first warning bell rings, then sprint down the hall to my biology class.

Mr. Molina gives me a curious look as I come to a stop just inside of his classroom. I choose to ignore him and instead look for a seat and notice, to my pleasure, that everyone is already paired up, leaving a lone table open for little ole' me. I slide onto the stool next to the window and wait to receive my so called text book.

I stare out the window and soon learn that I can see the sidewalk that leads to the parking lot from here. About halfway through class, I notice three figures walking at a brisk pace under a large black umbrella. Two guys and a girl. The guys are holding hands. Cute. The wind catches it and I swear, for just a second, that I saw a boy with bronze hair under the thing. There was a cast on his left wrist.

_Can't play the piano if your wrist is broken._

Dammit Bella, it's not _him_ and never will be. Save yourself a world of hurt and find something else to obsess about. How about those Twilight books or the movie that ALice is constantly babbling about?

_If you squint and let your mind wander that __Pattinson__ guy looks a little like---_

I cut myself off and shake my head in an effort to clear it, then force myself to pay attention to what Mr. Molina is explaining. Unfortunately, his topic happens to be the Table of Contents in our Biology books.

Gag.

Two hours and one gym class spent dodging losers who didn't get invited to the party later, I'm sitting in Alice's Victorian style living room, concentrating on my pile of homework while doing my best to ignore the two couples making out on the sofa and love seat. I can't seem to get away from it, no matter how loud my iPod is playing. My brother's guttural moan is what finallyconvinces me to break an run.

I close my book as quietly as I can and stuff it in my bag before slipping out of the room unnoticed. I leave a note for them, informing them that I was heading home to let Seth out and maybe take him for a walk down to the beach before I finished my homework, then stomp to my baby and high tail it out of there as fast as I can. I sure as hell hope that no one notices I'm gone for at least an hour.

When I get home, I find a note from Leah explaining that she had to drive up to Port Angeles to meet a client and wouldn't be back until late, but dinner was done, just being kept warm in the oven. A second note, this one from Jake, reveals that there was a tribal meeting tonight and he had forgotten all about it until he got a call this afternoon. He won't be home until late as well. Both notes promise a trip to Seattle in the near future to go shopping or whatever we would like for an entire weekend as a way to make up for the conundrum.

I grab Seth's leash and my jacket then head out to the covered kennel to retrieve my puppy who happens to be literally bouncing off the walls when I finally get his leash attached and open the gate for him to run out.

Oh thank you pet gods for retractable leashes.

When we finally make it to the beach, I take of Seth's leash and let him run and play in the surf, occasionally throwing bits of driftwood for him to fetch and then chew on. Occasionally I get the feeling that I'm being watched, but that's being paranoid for you.

After about two hours of letting my puppy wear himself out, I put his leash back on and let him drag me up the hill to the house. I take him around to the back of the garage and rinse his paws before letting him in the house to romp and be stupid while I eat dinner and finish my homework.

By the time anyone else gets home, I've washed up the dishes I used, straightened the house up, showered, and am comfortably curled up in my bean bag chair, re-reading the last Harry Potter book. That is also where I fall asleep, Tori Amos playing in the background.

**So there it is. I hope I didn't disappoint!**

**I not only heart the characters of Twilight, I heart reviews so show a girl some love.**

**for anyone who didn't understand that...**

**REVIEW OR DIE.**


	3. Chapter 2 My Life or Something Like It

**Nope, still don't own anything, though I am a really big pervert who enjoys dirty jokes and juicy lemons.**

**A/N--Thank ****wendybaliles aka dementedevilpixie**** for convincing me to n****ot**** wait to post this! She's in my favorite author's! Check her stories out!**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 2-My Life or Something Like It**

**~Bella~**

After my freaky Monday, I didn't have any more dreams or visions of _him_ the entire week. It must have been the whole going back to school thing wreaking havoc on my subconscious. It's so freaking bittersweet no matter which way you look at it. I don't bother bringing it up to Jazz or Ali because, quite frankly, they have suffered through oceans of tears that I have spilled over him and they don't deserve that. I certainly didn't bring anything about _him_ up around Emmett and Rosalie either. They seem like really cool cats and are growing on me, but that doesn't suddenly mean that I get the warm and fuzzies and want to spill my every little secret to them just yet.

"What's wrong baby girl?" Jasper asks as he takes my hands, effectively ceasing the finger drumming I had been inflicting on everyone unconsciously.

I shake my head and try to muster an honest smile. "Nothing Jazz, I just can't wait to get the hell out of here." I'm not lying. There was nothing actually wrong, except that this place was driving me crazy."I'm surprised you and Alice are still here, I figured you would have ran off and found an empty janitors closet to boink in by now."

He winks at me, his gunmetal hued orbs glimmering with mirth, "Where do you think Emmett and Rosalie disappeared to? They have custody of the closet today." I glance around the table in surprise, I hadn't noticed them leaving. The discovery irks me, I'm usually much more observant than this. "Are you sure that you're up to going to Ali's party tonight? You seem really out of it darling," he inquires, concern darkening his eyes to an iron grey.

I pull my hands free and run them through my hair, "Yeah, I'm okay BB," I try to placate him using my old nickname for him, BB being short for Big Brother, "It's just been a hectic week. I'm going out and grabbing a smoke so you can suck face with the pixie in peace."

He ruffles my hair and gives me a peck on the cheek, "Okay, but if you don't want to go to the party tonight, it's alright with me. I can take care of Alice, if that's what's bothering you."

"I promise you, I'm fine BB, let it go," I beg as I sling my bag onto my shoulder. He eyes me for a moment before nodding and relaxing back in his seat. I punch him lightly in the arm and head out to the parking lot.

As soon as my ass is parked in my car, I light a smoke and dig out my Biology homework to double check it. I'm bobbing my head to Rob Zombie when I'm interrupted by a knock on the window. I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose, counting to ten before speaking. "If that's you Mike, Tyler, or Eric, step away from my car and walk away as fast as your legs will take you or I'm going to make sure you never get the chance to procreate in your lifetime. I'm not in the mood today."

"Bella, it's Jessica. Jessica Stanley. Can I talk to you for a minute? I promise it won't take long." I open my eyes and study the brunette practically doing a jig beside my car. She's wearing a denim mini skirt that does nothing for her and an awful neon pink sequined tank top that makes her resemble a cheap hooker. Her and Lauren must be friends again this week. Crap. If she's ever had a single original thought in her life, I'd die laughing.

I unlock the passenger side door."Get in," I order, putting my homework away.

She runs around the front of the car, nearly falling on her ass when her shoes slip on the blacktop, but somehow stays on her feet to get in beside me. I turn to her, expectant. "What the fuck do you need now Stanley?"

She watches herself wring her hands together for a moment before gathering enough courage to look me in the face. "Um, were you going to ask Mike to go to the party with you tonight?" Geez, I feel like pounding my head off of the steering wheel now. The way she'd looked when she asked to talk, I thought she was going to tell me that she was pregnant or something.

Instead I force a chuckle and shake my head no. "Nah, Mike's adorable when I need something fetched, but that's as far as my interest in him goes Jess. Take him, with my blessing. He's all yours, have fun." She will, no doubt, make a fine Cocker Spaniel next to his Labrador Retriever. They'll make cute puppies some day. Dumb as a box of rocks, but cute nevertheless.

She moves as if to hug me, but thinks better of it when she sees me cringe away from her touch. "Thanks Bella, I really appreciate this," she says honestly before hopping out of my baby and running back up the stone steps to the school.

I can see Mr. Greene, the school principal and the jerk I happened to bust in the mouth last year for making a snide comment about my brother and Alice. Yeah, like I will ever tell Jasper the truth about that one. If Jake and Leah thought what I did was awful, how would they react when Jazz chopped him up into little pieces and mixed him in with the school lunch? Mr. Greene glares at me, his obvious hatred of me written on his face. I leave everything in the car that I'm not going to need for Biology and exit the car, throwing him a wicked grin as I pass by on my way to class.

Biology is boring, again, until Ben, Angela, and I start shooting spitballs at the cheerleaders dressed up for tonight's football game. I can't help but laugh when Tyler, the star quarterback, gets in on our little game to annoy them. I notice he aims at Lauren Mallory often. She follows him around like Mike does me so I have a little sympathy for him. At the end of class Mr. Molina announces that we will be doing our first lab starting Monday. The class lets out a collective groan, but I ignore them. I always enjoyed doing the labs. I'm asked if I mind working along or do I wish to hook up with a pair by the teacher. He isn't surprised when I opt to go it alone. I actually think he's grateful because that will be one less reason for me to pick a fight in his class.

My phone vibrating in my pocket takes my attention from counting the dozens of spitballs in Tanya Denali's poofy blond hair. She wasn't such a bitch, back in the day, until she decided being popular was more important than our relationship. Fucking cheating bitch. Good thing no one believed her when she tried telling the whole school about my tendencies or I would have had to make her a missing person. All she'd really accomplished was practically outing herself to the whole school over it.

Shit, the phone. I flip it open to see a text from my brother.

_B- 3 amigos ditching class for party, pick u up after class- J_

I chuckle inwardly. Weren't they just yelling at me to behave in school for once?

_J- How r u saving my ass? Got no note- B_

_B- Ali in office now, puked on floor, said u had to take her home- J_

I cringe at the visual of Alice vomiting on her boots in the middle of the office.

_J- Maybe call me over the intercom- B_

_B- See? Always knew u were smart- J_

Ten seconds later, my name is being called over the intercom to come to the office. I swagger out, not even bothering to alert Mr. Molina since he looks pretty comfy taking his nap at his desk. I dump my books in my locker and race down to the office, pulling up the appropriate mask of confusion and sympathy as Mrs. Cope begs me to take Alice home and get her into bed. I slap on my serious face and put my arms around the devious sprite as we shuffle out. We keep up the charade until we reach the parking lot, when suddenly I receive a peck on the cheek before watching Alice skip over to her boyfriend.

"I'm going to stop at the house and take Seth out for a walk," I call to them as I get into the Supra, "Then I'm going to grab a shower before I head over. That should give you enough time to get a pretty nice round of fun time in without me showing up prematurely and ruining it, sound good?" They laugh and nod as I peel out of the lot, blasting Lily Allen's 'Fuck You' at top volume. I get the added pleasure of splashing Tanya with muddy water when I hit a large puddle on my way out.

I let Seth out of his kennel as soon as I get home and he follows me into the kitchen to help me rummage through the fridge for a snack. I find the stereo remote in the silverware drawer, again, dammit Jake, and turn it on while I fix a sandwich to munch on.

I sit at the island and watch Doctor Who, the new stuff, as I eat, intermittently tossing Seth a chip or piece of ham. At exactly 2:35, when school lets out, my phone starts ringing off the hook with people wanting the lowdown on the party. I send out a mass text with the time the party starts and put my phone on vibrate so I can get a shower in peace.

It ends up being a double-edged sword. I have 117 different messages between texts and voice mail.

Fuck.

There are people coming from all over just for the Brandon, Whitlock, and Swan Back to School Bash. Still in nothing but my towel, I put in a few calls to order more kegs, then send a text to some loyal go-fer's, you know, go fer this, go fer that, instructing them where they need to stop and what they need to get, informing them to get a little something for themselves while they're at it, just add it to my tab.

Fifteen phone calls and almost two hours later, I step into the black hole that is my closet and scrounge for the appropriate party attire. Low rise, black leather pants that fit in all the right places, matching leather ankle boots with four inch heels, and a midnight blue corset top. Perfect. I pin my hair up on the top of my head, leaving messy curls flowing down everywhere. I find my mascara, eyeliner, and lip gloss and apply them. If anyone expects any more than that, they will just have to tranquilize me and do it themselves.

I put his leather cuff back on and lace on another that is similar in its proportions. I search my jewelry box to find the sapphire pendant that Jasper bought me for my sixteenth birthday and put it on as well. Once it is in place, I grab my black leather half trench out of the closet and put my smokes, phone, and stuff in the pockets. I unlock the doggy door to the backyard for my puppy and set the house alarm before heading back out to my car.

I don't even pretend to pay attention to the speed limit as I navigate my way to the Brandon's 50 acre estate. Two texts from Ali makes me take a detour into town to pick up more ice and plastic cups, so I make the best of it, getting a few cases of Red Bull and a carton of menthol's for Jazz and I to split.

I can hear music thumping in the house when I come upon the mansion and drive my baby around the back to keep some jackass from puking on it. Only us three and a few chosen friends like Ben, Angela, Embry, and Quil are allowed to park at the back of the house. Any idiots who choose not to listen usually end up with all of their windows busted out. Not many people have to be told more than once.

After I get the car parked and gather my things, I text Alice, telling her to send someone out for the ice and cups then dump the bags beside my car. After a few cleansing breaths to ready myself against the onslaught, I stroll into the madhouse, head held high and attitude in full swing.

I'm not ten steps into the house when I'm picked up in a suffocating hug. "Little sister!" Emmetts bellows, "We were wondering when the Ice Queen would make an appearace!"

I smack his arms, "Can't breathe!"

He jumps and has me back on my feet in a flash. "Sorry Bellaboo, I'm just so damn happy to see you," He pouts and offers me his beer in consolation.

I shake my head, "No thanks brother bear, I'm a babysitter tonight." He whispers a thank you in my ear before giving me a one armed hug and running off after his wife. I drink my Red Bull and mingle, constantly scanning the rooms for those who have had one or twelve too many.

Around 10 pm, Jasper sends me a text telling me that Embry and Quil wasn't able to make it after all, they are swimming in homework at the present time. At midnight I take my turn as key hoarder because that is about the time when the lightweights are going home and the veteran partyers, mostly older friends of our who are in college now, start showing up.

At 2:30 am I'm relieved by a sobered up Ben and make the mad dash to the bathroom. Too many frikkin Red Bulls. I'm washing my hands when the door bursts open and a football player type stumbles in. I know he's a friend of Jasper's good buddy Felix, but I can't remember his name to save my life.

"What the hell man?" I shout as he staggers to the toilet, his junk already in hand. "You couldn't have waited two fucking minutes?"

He looks at me and scrunches up his face like he trying to focus as he relieves himself. "I knockeded lady, izz not my fult you din't answer the damn doorrr," he slurs, "But since we're here, wanna play?" I look for a way out but he is between me and the door. He lunges at me before I can do anything, grabbing my hands as his lips crash against mine.

I pull back enough to scream at the top of my lungs before I headbutt him, shattering his nose, then drive my knee into his junk that's still hanging out of his pants. He roars in pain and swings at me, connecting with my cheek and sending me flying into the walk-in shower.

The glass shatters on impact and I fall into the shards, immediately hissing at the various cuts being inflicted upon my body. He lurches over and falls on top of me, covering my mouth with one hand and reaching for the zipper of my pants with the other. I try to fight him off, but he's too damn heavy. Just as he shoves his filthy hand down the front of my pants, I hear another feral cry and suddenly he is lifted off of me. Emmett, Felix, and Jasper, along with a few guys I don't know, have him pinned against the wall as Alice and Rosalie help me up and into the hall.

"Did he hurt you?" Alice cries as she and Rose frantically pull my glass infested clothing off, "If he hurt you, I'll make damn sure his body is never found. Oh god Bella, you're bleeding everywhere."

I give myself a once over. A fair percentage of my back and arms are covered in lacerations, but none of them look too serious. The one that cut through my leather pants could probably use a few stitches and I tell Alice as such.

She quickly runs out to grab one of the many medical kits hidden around the house while Rosalie tries to wipe more of the blood off me. I can hear the guys yelling down the hall when Alice comes back in. "I don't think Demetri is having a very good night anymore," she chuckles as she pulls out a suture needle and thread and begins stitching me back together.

When she's done, Rosalie gives me a clean tee and a pair of jeans to change into. I go looking for Jasper, but he, Emmett, and a few others are mysteriously absent. Gods, I hope they aren't doing anything that I'm going to regret later on. I really hope that whatever they're doing doesn't involve a massive police search for a missing Demetri.

_ Oh, wait, yes you do. _

Stop it Bella, karma is a bitch, remember?

I need to get out of here for a while before I do something stupid like murder that asshole. "Ali, I'm going to take a spin on my bike and cool down for a bit! I have my phone if anyone needs me!" I call up the stairs after I grab my cigarettes, phone, and _his_ old riding jacket.

I avoid the drunken masses as I make my way to the garage. Yeah, the garage that resembles a car museum thanks to Alice's sweet but slightly neurotic french step-father. Laurent has a passionate love affair with pretty much anything that has an engine and goes fast.

As I reach the section that the motorcycles are stored, I notice a tall girl checking out my Ducati, and she is cute. Her long legs are draped in black denim that hugs her body in all the right places. A blue hoodie covers her torso, but what really draws my attention is her flame red locks that brush the back of her thighs as she circles my bike, making adorable little noises as she goes. I vaguely recognize her, she's a senior at Forks, but I can't seem to grasp her name.

I lean against one of the pillars and cross my arms, thoroughly enjoying the beauty in front of me. Yeah, call me a hypocrite. I can't stand the thought of another man touching me, but have no trouble when it comes to other women. I may never see him again, but I will never break my promise. "See anything you like?" I ask, making her squeak and spin around to face me. Ooh, she is certainly worth a second look.

She smiles and bobs her head, causing those curls to bounce,"I like motorcycles. My ex used to take me on weekend rides and it was the best thing her and I ever shared. Is it yours?" she asks, pointing to my bike.

I push off the wall and pad over to it. "Yeah, my aunt and uncle bought it for me last summer when I wouldn't stop stealing theirs. I was going to go for a ride and blow off some steam, care to join me? I'm Bella, by the way," I extend my hand and make a snap decision to kiss her knuckles when she shakes it.

Holy shit, she blushes beautifully when my lips graze her skin. "I'm Victoria," she murmurs, her vivid blue eyes affixed to the concrete floor.

After grabbing a riding jacket for her to wear, I decide to be bold and kiss her temple as I help her into it. "You have a beautiful name Victoria, if you don't mind me saying," I openly admit before pulling away and straddling my bike. "Grab that helmet off the yellow bike and put it on, we wouldn't want anything to happen to that pretty little head of yours."

Her cheeks grow more pink as she puts on the helmet and I help her climb on behind me. I start the bike and feel her jump against my back. "Hold on tight Victoria, this isn't going to be a low speed adventure," I inform her as I put the kick stand up. She nods and wraps her arms tightly around my waist and I slowly twist the throttle, propelling us into the darkness.

I can't help but smile as her grip on me becomes tighter as the speedometer climbs ever higher. I know these roads inside and out, so there is no need to slow down too much through the twists and turns. One of the perks of living in such a small town is that it is a given that all of the roads are damn near deserted by midnight, even on a Friday night. At one point, I can hear her tinkling laughter as the scenery goes by us in a blur. Such a cute thing. I finally take us onto the rez and wind our way up to the top of on of the cliffs, where a few gazebos are scattered along the top.

I pull next to one that is a little farther away from the others and kill the engine. I catch her when she stumbles getting off the bike, "Easy darling, give your legs a chance to adjust to standing again," I explain as I remover her helmet and hang it from the handlebars next to my own. She giggles and I wind my arm around her waist to help her to a bench inside the meager shelter.

I sit her down on the wooden bench and situate myself beside her, my arms still around her tiny waist. She doesn't seem uncomfortable with it, so I leave it there and gently trace her hipbone with my fingers. "I come up here to clear my head sometimes," I admit to her, "The real world just melts away when I find myself surrounded with such beauty," I emphasize my last words with a slight squeeze on her hip.

She glances at me and smiles before her eyes return to drinking in the landscape. "This is absolutely amazing," she confesses, clearly in awe, "I can only imagine what a sunset would look like from here. I bet it is breathtaking."

I nod and pull her closer, "It can be quite a sight, when the weather cooperates, which isn't often, I'm sorry to say. I guess that's one of the drawbacks to living in one of the cloudiest places in the continental United States."

Victoria hums in agreement and snuggles closer, wrapping her arms around my neck. She gives me a questioning look and I answer by grazing my lips against her own plump ones. As our lips find their rhythm, the kiss deepens and she shifts so that she is straddling my lap. I slide my hands under her sweatshirt and rest them against the small of her back, using the leverage to press her body closer to mine. Her fingers find their way into my hair and her nails gently dig into my scalp in her efforts to pull my face as close as possible.

When we part, gasping for air, I dip my head down and mouth her taunt nipples through the fabric of her shirt. A throaty moan escapes her and her head falls back. "That feels so good Bella," she rasps. I hum my agreement and the vibration on her sensitive peak causes her hips to buck against me. I briefly release her breast, making her whimper at the loss of contact, only to duck my head under her shirt, wow, no bra, and take her bare nipple back into my mouth. I suckle and nip until its hard as a pebble before licking my way across her chest to capture the other and repeat the process.

One of her hands lets go of my hair and snakes down my body until she comes to my breast, and begins flicking and teasing my own aching peak. She doesn't flinch when she discovers the hoops that adorn my nipples. "Pierced, I like," Victoria murmurs as she gently tugs on the hoop, causing a spark of pleasure to shoot straight to my nethers. I moan my approval and she twitches against me again.

"Oh god, please touch me, its been so damn long," she begs and I twist our bodies to the side before laying her down on the bench. I position myself over her, one leg on the ground, the other between her legs, as I find the zipper of her jeans and lower it in one fluid motion before sliding my hand inside.

Fuck me, she's a bare as I am. "So smooth, nothing more mouthwatering on a woman than a bare pussy," I murmur. My fingers trace along her wet folds and I can stop from grinning at her open mouthed moans of pleasure filling the night air. She moves herself against my hand, trying to get that friction her body desperately craves.

I torment her until her mewling whimpers become outright cries before sliding a finger into her aching depths. "You're so fucking wet for me Victoria," I whisper against her nipple as I pull back and plunge into again. I continue to tease in this fashion until she begs me for more, then proceed to slide a second, then third finger into her, increasing the speed and strength with each digit. She reaches down and pulls her jeans down so that I have easier access to her. I move down and delve my tongue into her dripping apex, quickly finding her throbbing bud and sucking it between my lips. She lets out a strangled moan when I graze my teeth over the sensitive nerve cluster.

"Harder," she begs. "Faster," she pleas, no longer caring about the volume of her voice. Her hips are moving in cadence with my mouth and hand hand as I begin curling my fingers each time they are completely inside of her, stroking the right spot to send her body into a quivering release. I can feel her tighten around my fingers so I suck on her clit harder and increase my tempo even more until she literally screams as she peaks and drenches my fingers. I keep moving inside of her, helping her ride out her orgasm to its fullest extent before withdrawing my hand and licking her clean.

When I look up, her heart shaped face is flushed and shining with perspiration. I move up her body and give her a deep kiss, and I can tell she enjoys tasting herself on my lips. When I pull back, she grabs the hand I used to pleasure her and draws each finger into her mouth, sucking her nectar from them. When she's done, my finger slides out of her mouth with a pop and she gives me a satisfied smirk. "Thank you, it's been forever since anyone has done that but me," she confesses.

I give her another kiss, sucking on her bottom lip briefly, then draw back and planting a peck on the tip of her nose, "The pleasure was all mine, you taste absolutely divine darling," I admit honestly and reach down to tug her pants back into place.

I barely manage to get her zipper up when Victoria pushes me onto my back, her lips moving against mine as she shimmies my pants off of my hips and down to my ankles. Her soft fingers immediately begin stroking my slit and she breaks the kiss to whisper," My turn," into my ear before licking and kissing her way down my body. She shoves two fingers into me as she bites down on my clit. the contact coupled with my already heightened state of arousal, forces an instant orgasm to wash over me. She has no mercy on my body and soon discovers how easy it is for me to have multiple orgasms.

We spend hours going back and forth, expending months of pent up frustration. The night sky paling to the coming dawn alerts us to the fact that we had spent over three hours lost in our mutual need for release. After Victoria coerces one last fantastic orgasm out of me, I pull her face to mine and clean my juices from her lips and chin before kissing her senseless.

We finally pry ourselves from one another and dress in a comfortable silence before trekking to my bike. We stop at the gas station on the way back so I can gas up the bike and we end up making out and groping each other while the tank fills, much to the attendants surprise and pleasure.

After I park the bike and stow the helmets and jackets, she follows me up to the guest room that I always use when I sleep over and move on to a round of all out fucking until we pass out from sheer exhaustion, our bodies tangled together in the sheet.

I wake up briefly to hearing someone shuffling around the room. I reach for Victoria, but the bed is empty. I open my eyes in time to get an eyeful of her luscious breasts as she straddles my hips and gives me a heady kiss. I grab her hand as she slides off and gets to her feet, "Come back to bed darling, it's still early," I mumble and tug her back down to kiss her pale neck while my free hand cups her mound through her jeans.

Victoria moans at the contact. "I wish I could but I have to be at work in twenty minutes and my college fund doesn't grow on its own," she explains, "I will be back for round two of the party but I put my number in your phone and yours in mine, just in case I miss you. I had a hell of a lot of fun and really want to do it again." She pushes herself against my hand during her last words so I take the opportunity to shove my hand down her pants and drag my fingers along her slit, making her wet instantly. She bucks her hips and I plunge my fingers into her hard and fast until she cries out as an orgasm rips through her.

I draw my hand out with a chuckle and watch her eyes darken with lust as I lick her juices from my fingers. "Have fun at work then," I smirk and smack her ass as she sticks her tongue out at me and turns to leave. I stretch and run my hands through my tangled locks. "Shower then coffee," I grumble to myself and heave myself up out of the bed, ignoring the screaming pain of the wounds covering my body.

I stumble into the bathroom and pull the bandage off of the sutured slice on my thigh. Relief washes over me when I see that none of the stitches were ripped during my nocturnal activities, though it is bleeding a little. I ignore it for the time being and climb into the scalding hot shower, my sore muscles instantly grateful. After what seems like forever, I finally shave and scrub up with whatever soap Alice put in here for me, freesia or strawberries or something.

Fifteen minute later, I'm dressed, teeth brushed, hair brushed, and on my way down to get a cup of coffee.

I pad into the ginormous kitchen and discover that Jasper and Alice are already up. "Morning," I mutter as I lift a mug from one of the hooks under the cabinet and fill it with java. I try to ignore their matching impish grins as I sit down and prop my feet up in my brothers lap.

Jasper pats my leg then hands me a lit cig, which I accept gratefully. "Not that I'm complaining about your choice, but who was the redhead that snuck out of your room to do the walk of shame this morning? I think I recognized her," he asks before stealing a sip of my coffee.

I take a drag and exhale slowly, letting him stew a moment. "Her name is Victoria, BB, and she's a senior at Forks. I'm not actually sure it was a walk of shame this time, she said something about having to go to work but would be back tonight for the party's next round."

He snickers, causing his blond waves to fall in his eyes. I hand him my scrunchie to put his hair back. "Thanks. Well, how was it? Please tell me she's better than the flake you nailed last time?"

"She was infinitely better than Brandy," I confess happily, "This girl fucks like a porn star and gives as good as she gets. Hell, Jazz, we spent probably about five hours total screwing each others brains out and I'm even thinking about hooking up with her again tonight, if she shows."

Jasper's eyes look like they are going to pop out of his head. "What?!" he exclaims, "Bella Swan is going to fuck the same person twice?! I never thought I would live to see the day. The world is coming to an end tomorrow, isn't it?"

I smack his arm, "Don't be such a drama queen Jazz. It's been two fucking months, I've got a lot of frustration to work out and she's fucking hot."

"You're a lesbian? Is that why you don't date?" I hear Emmett ask as he and Rosalie trudge in and drop into the empty chairs opposite me, "I was wondering what your deal was little sister. It's nothing to be ashamed of so don't give me that look. You could have at least had the balls to tell me to my face though, I'm hurt."

Jasper's hand snakes out and grabs mine, pulling my fingers away from the cuff on my wrist that I had been rubbing yet again. Always. He offers a knowing smile before turning to Emmett, "Bella doesn't like to advertise Em, it just complicates shit so we would appreciate it if you kept your yap shut, otherwise I'm going to stick my foot so far up your ass that the only thing you'll be tasting when you eat is the nasty ass sole of my boot."

Jasper and Alice know why I can't bear to have another guy touch me. Originally, they held onto the hope that I would get over it and start chasing boys again, but even they knew that there was only ever one boy for me. _He_ had always been my destiny, my fate, or, as Jasper called him, my kismet.

When he left, he took my intended fate with him, leaving me floating in a vast nothingness Alice always says that's why she can't tell me my fortune when she does her mumbo-jumbo with her tarot cards and shit. I have no future because he's gone.

"So, what happened to that fuctard Demetri? Is he buried in the woods somewhere?" I interject, hoping to turn the conversation towards something other than my sexual orientation.

Emmett surprises me by uttering a string of curses that would make a seasoned sailor blush like a school girl. "That rat bastard is lucky he isn't dead. If I hadn't have pulled Jasper off of Demetri's sorry ass by his golden locks, he would currently be either sitting in jail for murder or making a run for the border to evade capture."

Rosalie rolls her eyes as she picks at her bagel, "And what my darling husband is neglecting to tell you is that when he found out what Demetri tried to do to you, it took four ball players to pin him down next to Jasper so they wouldn't run off together and commit the aforementioned murder."

"Aw, Emmie went all mother bear just to protect my honor?" I reply in mock surprise, fluttering my eyelashes at him, "So sweet Em, how can I ever repay you?"

He opens his mouth to answer, but Rosalie smacks the back of his head, "Don't even think it Emmett McCarty or you will be sleeping alone for a month," she threatens as she points one perfectly manicured finger at his nose.

He gets a pained expression on his tanned face, "Come on Rosie! You said if the right time and the right girl came along that you would at least think about it! Well," he waves a hand in my direction, "She's obviously the right girl, because I can at least trust her to give you a good time and not try to steal you from me, and what better time than a weekend long party at my cousins house?"

"Wasn't I going to have a say in this?" I scoff at him, "How do you know that I would even agree to that shit?"

He shrugs a shoulder and takes a bite of his eggs, mulling his next words over carefully. I'm guessing that his wife's presence no doubt being the driving force behind that. "Because Bells, you are like one of us guys, hooking up with chicks and shit, and a single guy never passes up an opportunity to bang a girl even close to being as hot as my wife. My Rose would put them all to shame, hands down," he concludes in a matter-of-fact tone.

I wink at Rosalie while Emmett is distracted, "Oh really? I might just have to think about bringing Rose over to the dark side then." I get to my feet and move around the table, "What do you think Rose? Tired of all the smelly ball scratching, the caveman grunting during sex, and a man's obsession with bodily functions?" I straddle her legs and lower myself on to her lap, wrapping my arms around her neck as her hands grip my waist.

Rosalie has caught on to what I'm doing and puts on her best sex face. "You know, I think I just might be Bella," she confesses and draws me to her until our chests are flush against one another, "Maybe it's time to see how the other side lives." She shocks me by attacking my mouth with her own, luckily my squeak of surprise comes out resembling a whimper of desire against her lips. I can't deny that she has some kick ass kissing skills, nor can I brush aside the fact that when she grips my ass and begins moving my hips against her, I got wet right then and there.

I have no idea how far she would have been willing to push things because a resounding thunk on the kitchen floor enlightens us to the fact that our little stunt has caused poor Emmett to faint on the spot. That makes Jasper, Alice, and some others that watched the performance, give us a round of applause as we part. I stand up, bringing Rosalie with me, and we take a bow for our admirers before laughing our asses off as Emmett sits up, looks at us with something that can only be described as worship, and smiles as sweetly as he can as he asks, "Can you do that again?"

I ignore the question and return to my seat opposite him and Rose, "So what's the agenda for today Ali? Monster movies in the theater? Dirt bikes? Freshmen wrestling in a pool filled with chocolate pudding? I'm not really up for swimming with stupid people." I check the clock, "And the next delivery of party supplies with be here by five. It's a little after one now."

Alice's expression is thoughtful as she sips her decaf honey almond frappacino. "Bikes, if the weather holds, then maybe dinner and a movie before the shit starts back up in earnest."

Jasper gives her an exasperated look, "We're not seriously going to feed these idiots, are we?"

"Fuck no Jazz," she scoffs and swats him in the chest, "I meant dinner for us. We might be hosting this soiree but that in no way means that we are offering food to every little bottom feeder that shows up. They can have as much booze as they want and we're not making them pay, so if they aren't happy with what we give them, they are more than welcome to go and find another party lke this outside of the three and a half hour drive to Seattle."

He plants a kiss on her pale cheek, "What don't you tell us how you really feel about it darlin'? You shouldn't keep your emotions bottled up like that, it isn't healthy."

Alice rolls her eyes and drains her mug, "Alright Dr. Phil, get your ass up and go get changed, I didn't buy you a vintage Black Sabbath tee for you to ruin riding out on the trails."

Jasper snaps a military-style salute, "Yes Ma'am!" and gives her a kiss, before coming over and pecking my cheek on his way upstairs.

Ali and Rose soon follow so the evil pixie can find her new cousin some appropriate attire for riding dirt bikes. Emmett gives me a hug on his way out the door. He's running over to his apartment to shower and change clothes.

I refill my coffee and wander out onto the back veranda, where a group of our college friends are eating. I wave at them as I shuffle by. After I inspect my car to make sure that it hasn't been molested, I continue my trek. I actually have a destination in mind by the time I make my way around the house and down to the garage.

I have to chase out a pair of sophomores, I think, making out in the washing bay. Laurent would not be happy if he found out that we had let high school kids around his precious collection no matter how much he and Ali's mom turn a blind eye to all of the other antics that occur in their absence.

I'm a little pissed to find that someone had spilled soda or some shit on my dirt bike at some point during the party. Alice is really going to have to start locking up the garage because I'm not looking forward to scrubbing down all of the vehicles again before her parents come home.

That thought reminds me to send a text to Alice, reminding her to have the cleaning crew come in this afternoon before the place starts filling back up with underage party goers. We don't need to take the chance of one of them actually having morals and calling the cops on us. The Forks Police Department knows what we do and turn a blind eye to it because of the insane precautions we take to keep these idiots safe while they are getting shit faced, but if someone would call, they would be forced to come out and put a stop to our fun. Well, it wouldn't really stop it because we would just move the party to another location, but that alone would put a damper on things. Letting out a loud sigh, I grab the handle bars and roll the dirt bike into the washing bay and get to work scrubbing the sticky mystery liquid off. Some people are just completely and utterly devoid of any fucking manners.

Once I have the bike cleaned up and presentable, I grab my helmet and hit some of the easier trail to warm up before the rest of the crew shows.

The next few hours go by in a blur, literally. We had to scrap the bike ride when it started raining too hard to see ten feet in front of the tires so we changed into some dry clothes and watched The Grudge 1 & 2 in Alice's home theater. The cleaning crew came and went without much ado, thankfully. Last year one of the cleaning guys left with a broken wrist after flirting with a freshman. We only broke the one wrist because, to be honest, the girl could have passed for 20. I didn't make it all the way through the second flick, passing out right around the time the oriental chick gets sucked through the mirror in the sleazy motel room.

Alice wakes me up around twilight, when the masses begin their pilgrimage to the estate. I don't bother dressing up this time, instead opting for a tight black tank top and a pair of black, red, and white plaid capris. I pull my hair bad in a loose bun and forgo all make up save my eyeliner. Alice would kill me otherwise. I get my phone off its charger and check my messages. A text from Quil telling me that him and Embry are dumping homework and coming out because they miss us, yay! Thirteen texts from various other people wanting to know if I want to hook up at the party, I delete them, they know the rules. The very last text is from Victoria, telling me that her boss is being an ass and she can't get out of working the double she had foolishly promised to work before she knew about the party.

Shit. There goes my fun for the night.

I send her one back, telling her not to worry about it, maybe we could hook up again in a few weeks when Quil and Embry throw their party. After I send it, I catch myself in the mirror. did Bella Swan, the Ice Queen, just offer to see the same fucking person twice? Damn, I must be slipping. I shake my head as I walk away from the mirror and bounce down the stairs. I can't fucking slip now, not when I have less than a year until I can start looking for _him_. I can't let him down, especially after I've been able to keep my promise for so long.

But a question you should be asking yourself is, will _he_ even want you to find him after all this time? What if he was able to move on? You're not even remotely interesting, let alone special. For fuck's sake, you were fourteen and he was fifteen when that promise was made.

But what if he somehow, for whatever reason, kept it too?

Like how? Take the same route as you and start fucking members of the same sex just to relieve the tension, the crushing loneliness for a little while? Yeah right. _He_ never had a problem with gays, but he admitted that he could never do that, it would be too weird.

_People change. You did._

I changed for him. To keep my promise.

_A promise that he let you out of._

Shut the fuck up.

_I can't you idiot, I'm you._

Isn't that a fucking convenient excuse.

The first floor of the mansion is packed with party-goers, gyrating to the music pulsing from speakers hidden everywhere. I snicker as I weave through a group that already have glow sticks lit and are swaying like they're in some kind of trance. Someone must have started to celebrate before they ever got here if they are that far gone already. Maybe I'll ask them to share some of their stash later.

I wind my through the house, looking for a friendly face amongst the throng. I end up ducking into the rec room to see if my brother has fired up Rock Band on the big screen yet when a pair of familiar large hands suddenly envelop me, pulling me off the ground as I'm hugged. "How are you doing my little minx?" Embry's voice drifts over the din of the crowd.

I twist myself around in his arms and wrap my legs around him, "Embry! I missed you so goddamn much!"

Quil appears over Embry's right shoulder, "And what am I sweetheart, chopped liver?"

I pull him into my arms without unlocking my legs from his boyfriend's waist, "You know I love you too you flaming faerie!" They each kiss a cheek and lower me to the ground before both of them lock an arm around my waist and pulling me through the crowd.

"We missed our favorite girlfriend and decided we would come and see if we could talk her into an alcohol fueled threesome, "Quil teases as we wander through the house, "Alice said no so we came and found you instead."

"Kiss my pasty white ass Tonto. Oh, and we're being stared at again boys. Just like old times," I smirk at a cluster of cheerleaders staring open-mouthed at the two massive Quileute Indians that have their arms wrapped around me, "Have you seen my wayward brother? He's normally balls deep in Rock Band by now."

Embry nods as he grabs two beers off a passing junior, giving him an evil glare until the kid gives up and moves on, "He and shorty were sneaking off to the pool house for a quickie. I'm sure that's going to go over well on account that I know damn well that someone's already puked in there. We saw the offending party staggering out when we pulled in."

I chuckle, "Serves them right. Did you meet Ali's cousin Emmett and his wife Rose?" We side step a couple making out as we step out the back door, "They're pretty cool."

The boys bob their heads and smile in approval, "Yeah, we did. When we got here and started asking people if they'd seen you, those two got all protective about you until we told them who we were," Quil explains, "And anyone looking out for our family like that is okay in my book."

"That's good to know because I think Emmett could give you two a run for your money in the muscle department," I retort as I slip out of their arms and shuffle over to a cooler that I know has bottled water in it. I grab a one-liter bottle and then plop my ass down on the lid. "I'm glad you guys approve though because I have a feeling they are people we can trust."

Embry chokes on his beer and I pound on his back until he starts laughing. "I never thought I'd ever hear those words from you Bells. We usually have to drag you over, kicking and screaming, to get you to talk to anyone outside of our little group."

"What do you want me to say hun?" I ask and light a cigarette, "I'm trying to get my shit together and make an honest attempt at living. I can't spend the rest of my life hiding in the music room playing my guitar and piano in between fist fights, as much as I would like to. If I'm ever going to function like a normal person, I have to try to reach outside of the little bubble I keep myself in. I need to do this because we all know that there is a really good fucking chance that he won't want me even if I can find him."

Whoa.

Where the fuck did that come from?

"Where the fuck did that come from?" Quil echoes my thoughts, concern creeping into his husky tenor, "You've never doubted your future with him before. What's going on honey? You're starting to scaring me."

I run my free hand through my hair and let out a loud sigh. "I had the dream again. The night before school started," I ignore their collective gasp, "And then a couple of times on Monday I had something happen that just knocked me on my ass. Do you remember that joke he and I used to have about that electric hum we would feel when we were close to one another?"

I wait for them to nod a yes before continuing, "Well, it kept happening on Monday. I felt it, felt him. It seriously fucked with my head. And then, to make things so much more fun for me, I saw a guy about my age with a man and a woman walking towards the parking lot in the downpour and I swear, just for a second, that the kid had bronze fucking hair. I'm losing my goddamn mind, seriously, because I just told some chick that I spent the night fucking senseless that maybe we should hook up at your party in a couple of weeks. I'm slipping bad."

Quil rubs my back lovingly, "Honey, it sounds to me like you need to unwind, have some fun, and forget about him for a little while." He ignores the glare I give him, "I mean it Bella. None of us doubt how much you still love him, but you can't deny that you are a completely different girl than the one he was forced to leave behind. You have to stop worrying about whether he would approve of what you do and just get out there and live. I'm not saying to start jumping into bed with every girl or guy you come across, but maybe it's time to start considering the possibility of letting yourself out of the promise. He freed you from any and all obligation to it the night he left."

"I don't know if I can," I admit in a breathless whisper, "It hurts so fucking bad when I even think about letting myself get close to anyone, especially another man. I wouldn't know what to do even if that weren't the case. I'm just going to accept the fact that I'll probably spend the rest of my life getting my rocks off with random women for the rest of my life because I can't bring myself to give a damn about any of them."

Embry shakes his head, "That's complete bullshit and you know it. We know that you had feelings for Tanya before she screwed you over. I hate that cheating, lying bitch just as much as you do hun, but this new girl? You have to be interested in her a little if you broached the subject of hooking up again. That proves right there that you are capable of moving on, even if you only take baby steps."

I shrug, not really wanting to answer, and go to take another drink of my water, but it is yanked out of my hand and replaced by a beer by Quil, "No time like the present to kick back and relax little sister. Don't worry, we won't let anyone bother you, except for maybe your gorgeous brother and the Red Bull faerie."

"Emmett and Rosalie are on the list too now," Embry interjects, "Bella says they can be trusted so we will until they prove they deserve otherwise."

I see two figures strolling over and chuckle. "Speak of the devil and she shall appear," I taunt as Rosalie sits down on the cooler beside me and pecks my cheek.

Emmett grins like an idiot at the gesture. "Maybe tonight's the night you two give me a show?" he asks, his voice hopeful and his eyes sparkling.

I snake my arm around the statuesque blonde's waist and take a swig from the bottle of tequila she's offered. "Not tonight brother bear. My boys here have convinced me that tonight is a good night to sit back and get wasted."

Emmett jumps up and down, "Awesome! Let's get the resident lesbian hammered and see how many chicks she can grope before somebody smacks her!"

I turn towards Rose, "He's never met a lesbian before this, has he?"

She shakes her head sadly, "Apparently not. I'm sorry ahead of time for whatever garbage comes out of his mouth the rest of the night though, feel free to give him a whack or ten any time he starts to annoy you too much."

I kiss her cheek and take another drink, "Sounds like a plan beautiful. Let's get wasted!"

An hour later, when Jasper and Alice finally grace us with their presence, we're half-way through our second bottle of tequila and are laughing about dumb shit we've done in our lives.

I'm sprawled out on one of the tanning chairs when Alice drops into my lap, "Are you drinking Bella?" she asks, inspecting my face for signs of intoxication.

I nod and offer her the bottle of Cabo Wabo, "Yes I am Tink, so get off my stomach before I puke on your wannabe hippy ass."

She grabs the bottle, takes a long pull from it, and scoots over so that shes reclining beside me, "What's the occasion? Is Quil pregnant again? What did I tell you about banging chicks with bigger problems than you?"

I half-heartedly elbow her in the ribs, "I thought you said not to bang chicks with bigger tits than me. Why do you think I haven't dragged Rose there off and had my way with her?"

Any answer she has is drowned out by laughter as our friends finally catch on to our little conversation. I make amends by snuggling up neck to her and nuzzling her neck while growling until she bursts into a fit of giggles.

At some point late into the night, around two-ish, I think, I stumble into the house in search of the little girls room. On my way back I stop in the kitchen to get another packs of smokes and a cup of coffee. I can hear a few people talking in the dining room and poke my head around the corner to see who has avoided passing out.

"Don't you think it's fucked up that she is so damn cold to every guy who wants to go out with her, but practically rapes those guys in front of everyone tonight?" a guy named Jack, I think, asks.

"No, she's just fucked up like that," I hear Tanya's voice reply, "She got so obsessed with me when I told her that I wasn't interested in anything but being friends that I thought I was going ot have to get a restraining order. She hasn't been right in the head since Cullen transferred to another school two years ago. I personally think he left to get away from her crazy ass."

A guy I don't recognize laughs at Tanya's words, "Well, anyone willing to fuck those faggot prairie niggers has got to have some--"

His words are cut off as I shriek and dive on him, fists flying. He's too drunk to defend himself and I'm too drunk to pull my punches. "Stupid motherfucking racist pig! Who the fuck do you think you are?!" I scream as my fist connects with his cheek, "I'm going to rip your fucking balls off!" I keep both fists pounding into him, ignoring the shots he lands, until someone is stupid enough to try and grab me. I turn around and just barely manage to stop myself from plowing Jasper in the face.

He wraps his arms around me tightly and pulls me into the living room. "It's okay baby girl, I've got you," He coos in a melodic voice, "Quil, Embry, and some of the other Quileute boys are taking care of the bastard, I promise."

I bury my face in his shirt, soaking it with blood and tears instantly. "I'm sorry Jazz," I whimper, "If you'd heard what the fucker said about Quil and Embry after Tanya was running her mouth about him again. I couldn't stop myself. I'm so sorry, I fucked up again."

Jasper brushes my hair out of my face and puts a hand under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. "Nobody blames you for shit sweetheart. Rose came looking for you when you didn't come back and heard everything that asshole said. She didn't know what that shit meant, but when she saw you dive on that guy, she knew it couldn't be good and ran out to get us."

_This is the fucking reason I don't drink around other people._

I hear Alice and the others kicking out the group that was with the racist asshole. "Is she making them all leave?"

Jasper grins and nods, "Yep. Everyone is getting tossed out on their asses because no one wants to admit to inviting the racist. Oh, and Rose definitely moved up a few spots on my short list of people who don't suck. She high-fived Tanya's face a few times before the bitch got the hint that she was no longer welcome on the premises. I figure, come Monday morning, that bitch is going to look like one of Mike Tyson's wives after he's had some fun with them."

He plants a kiss on my forehead, "Now, let's get you upstairs and put you in the shower. You've torn your stitches and need new ones. I figure you are going to need those ribs taped as well. Damn baby girl, this is the worst you've been busted up in a while." He kneels down and catches my knees with his arms and swings me up to his chest, "Bella, you need to stop fighting like this. I'm so afraid that one of these days you're going to get yourself killed fighting and I don't know what I'd do with myself if that ever happened."

I look up at him to see tears running down his face. "Please don't cry Jasper. I won't leave you, I promise. I'll do better, try harder to be good," I fervently vow, "I'll do whatever it takes to prove that I'm not going anywhere, not without you."

He smiles, but doesn't answer as he carries me into the bathroom and sets me on my feet. As he helps me strip down, he makes little noises of disapproval as more damage is revealed. Between Demetri's attack the night before and my tussle with the racist, my body is a collage of cuts, scrapes, and bruises. "Oh my god Bella," he gasps, "You look like the definition of 'beaten to a pulp' kiddo. I think those dudes from the movie 'Fight Club' could learn a thing or two about bodily harm from you sis. Fucking sick."

I roll my eyes and frown at my torn stitches while he pokes a tender spot on my back, "Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence BB. I'm sure if you go put some country music on, I wouldn't have to dig too far to want to commit suicide right now. Asshole."

I flex my leg and a line of blood bubbles up from it. Suddenly Jasper screams, "Blood! Mine!" as he grabs my leg and begins chewing on it.

I smack him on the head and try to push him off of me, "Bad vampire! Get off of my leg, you sick fuck, I'm your sister!"

He gets my leg in his iron grip and pats the blood off with a wash rag, "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself, I spend so much time trying to resist the delicious bouquet of human blood and it just overwhelmed me. Please forgive me Bella, but your blood sang to me and I could not deny its call."

I steady myself with a hand on his shoulder, "Who are you and what did you do with my brother? I think you've read one too many of Alice's vampire romances Jazz. I think it's time to stage an intervention before you start wearing yellow contacts and covering yourself in glitter just so Ali will fuck you more often."

He nearly drops me when he can't contain his laughter, "Yeah, she's pretty damn obsessed with them. She's even asked me to call her spider monkey a few times when I've carried her on my back. I guess it's a good thing I had already composed a song for her before that damn thing came out or I'd never hear the end of it. In you go, " he finishes as he helps me step into the shower.

The hot water makes my cuts burn even as I feel my muscles begin to loosen up under the scalding flow. "It could be worse, in all honesty Jazz," I admit, "Ben and Angela are big Harry Potter fans and Angie told me that Ben likes to play a game called 'Hide the Wand' while dressed in his Griffyndor robes."

I hear a thump and open the curtain to see my brother curled up on the floor, red faced and shoulders shaking with silent mirth."Hide-" giggle "the-" giggle "Wand?" he asks, following it with another silent fit of giggling.

I nod solemnly and reach for the shampoo, "Yep. He even calls her cooch "The Chamber of Secrets'. I wish I was making this shit up, I really do."

"That's so fucked up!" he howls, finally breaking out of his silent mirth and into full out guffaws. "Ali! I want to hide my wand in your chamber of secrets if you're going to make me dress up as that 108 year old vampire virgin!"

Oh shit. Jasper is a little more wasted than I originally thought. Alice is going to kill me if Angela doesn't hear him and do it first. "Jasper, shut the fuck up!" I hiss, "Your voice is fucking echoing in here!"

He pushes himself into a sitting position and wipes the tears from his eyes, "I'm sorry baby girl, it was just too damn funny to pass up."

"Fuck you BB," I growl as I rinse my hair out, "And for that bullshit, I'm going to tell Alice where you hide your stash of porn."

He groans and gets to his feet, "There's no need to go overboard Bella. I'm sure we can work something out and come to an amicable solution. Are you going to need help any time soon?"

"Not for another few minutes," I confess, "Just have to scrub up and rinse my conditioner out. Why?"

I hear him lunge across the bathroom, "Cuz I'm going to hurl," he answers just before the sounds of retching fill the space.

Drunk Jasper puking his guts up while I shower. Lovely.

I finish getting cleaned up and hobble out of the stall, covering myself with the huge blue towel hanging on the hook. "You okay Jazz?" He gives me the thumbs up and rests his head on lid, his eyes closed. I limp over to him and put his hair back with my black scrunchie. "Love you BB."

He sighs and gives me a little smile, "Love you too baby girl. Give me a sec and I'll help you into the bedroom so Ali can patch you up."

I reach down and muss his golden locks, "I'm injured, not an invalid. Besides, I've lived through worse. Stay here, finish vomiting up the liquor store, then you can come and watch the evil pixie turn me into a patchwork quilt."

I leave him to his misery to find that Alice hasn't arrived yet so I pull on a tank top and a pair of boxers then lay down on the queen sized bed and make myself as comfortable as I can knowing that I'm about to be stitched up, yet again. I cover my eyes with and arm and cross my ankles as I hear the door open and close.

"Alice not come in yet?" Jasper asks as he falls into bed beside me.

"Nope," I answer, popping the 'p', "And I'm not too upset about that either."

Chuckling, he pulls me over so that my head is laying on his chest and begins stroking my hair. "She's probably helping stuff that guy's body into the trash compactor or something," he surmises as I grab the sheet and cover us up. I just nod and snuggle closer to him.

I'm woke up by my phone ringing on the night stand. After discovering my brother snoring softly beside me, I reach over him and look at the ID. Victoria. Nice.

I flip open the phone. "Well hello beautiful. Didn't think I'd hear from you after you ditched me for that silly thing you call work," I tease as I untangle myself from the blankets. Jasper groans at the movement and rolls onto his stomach.

"Good morning to you too," she answers, "You move pretty fast but I wouldn't keep her if she sounds like that."

I snicker, "That was actually my brother. I got into a fight last night with some drunken racist and we fell asleep waiting on Alice to come and re-stitch my leg."

"Your leg? What happened?" she asks, sounding..concerned?

I give myself a once over and notice multiple bandages on my body as I give her the play-by-play of last nights events. "And that is why I don't drink at these damn things, bad shit always happens to me," I conclude while gingerly pulling on a pair of black sweats.

"Wow, you certainly do have a knack for trouble, are you a danger magnet or something?" she laughs that tinkling laugh, "Should I forgo asking you if you'd like to go out to breakfast with me then?"

I light a cigarette and start hunting for a hairbrush, "I don't know if you'd need to forgo it, just be on the lookout for angry midgets waiting to ambush me."

"I think I can do that, maybe," Victoria teases, "Want me to pick you up from Alice's or do you want to meet up somewhere?" Cool, she's giving me a choice.

It's now or never Bella, make a fucking choice! "Um, it would probably be best if I just met you somewhere. Today is clean up day and if you show that pretty face of yours, there is no guarantee that you won't get sucked in," I reply as I start raking the brush through my tangled mane. I shouldn't have fallen asleep with it wet dammit.

"That's cool. Where would you want to eat at? Anything under thirty bucks and the sky's the limit babe.' Oh shit, she just called me babe and I think I liked it! Fuck!

"How about I meet you up at Tim Horton's in Port Angeles?" I offer, "My treat." I am so getting in over my head with this chick. Shit.

"Sounds great," she gushes, "I'll see you in..two hours sound good?"

"That's fine. See you in two hours." I hit the end button and stretch out.

After putting a bra on under my tank top and hoodie that has the word 'Muggle' written across the front, I find my flip-flops, wallet, and car keys before sneaking out the back door. The entire house is still sleeping but I don't take any chances by coasting the Supra down the driveway about a quarter mile before starting her up and speeding off.

I pull into the eatery forty minutes later and pull into a spot close to the entrance. My body is definitely telling me all about the repercussions of those two fights. I pop a Vicodin that I still had from when I broke my thumb over the summer and wash it down with Red Bull before dragging myself out of the car and laying back on the hood, sunglasses on and cigarette in hand.

I'm contemplating snaring my hair in a scrunchie when I hear, "Well, you certainly know how to get a girls attention in the morning." I open my eyes to see the red haired owner of that melodic voice, she's dressed very similarly.

Must be a Sunday thing.

I smirk at her as I hop off the car, "One does ones best my flame haired nymph. Shall we?" I extend my hand to her with a questioning look. Here goes nothing, everything. Those fuckers had better be right about this or I'm scalping them, I swear.

She blushes and takes my hand with a smile. I lead her into the restaurant, not letting go of her as the waitress guides us to a small table in the back.

After she hands us our menus and stalks off to get our drinks, Victoria makes a face as she skims the menu. "Well, I see hospitality might be on short order today," she grumbles, "Did you see the look on her face when she saw us holding hands?"

I start running a hand through my hair but manage to stop myself. "Yeah, I saw. The high and mighty fucking attitude is only going to fly so long before I end up beating her head off the damn table until she apologizes. I fucking hate closed-minded people."

She stifles a laugh behind her hand, "I think I'd be willing to pay to see that, but aren't you already hurt from those fights?"

Just then Miss Board-Stuck-Up-Her-Ass shows up with our drinks. The bitch has the nerve to scowl as she writes down our orders. Right before she turns to stomp off I call her back. "Is there some kind of problem? My friend and I don't appreciate the glares you've been tossing our way since we got here. Is this something I'm going to need to talk to a manager about?"

She turns pale as a sheet at the mention of her manager. "N-no, that won't be necessary," she assures us, "I didn't mean to be rude, just having a bad day. I apologize if I offended you. How about you have breakfast on the house as a way to make it up to you?"

I look to Victoria, eyebrow raised in question. She shrugs and nods while flashing an adorable smile, "That sounds fair, I guess."

We order our food and talk about things like school and shit, only quieting down when we dig into the huge meals we decided to order just to teach that bitch a lesson. One thing I realize during our conversation is that I could very easily be friends with Victoria, even lovers for a time, but the spark that I was half-hoping/half-dreading to feel isn't there.

To be honest, we are just two lonely people tired of not having anyone to call our own.

I also realize that being with her would make that emptiness easier to bear for a while.

After we finish eating, we wander around the town, snooping in the different shops, talking, and genuinely having a pleasant time as we walked, our hands linked.

One shop she tells me that she'll be right back and disappears before I can say anything so I walk across the street and find a bench to relax on for a bit. Ten minutes later she comes out with a bag and laughing. "What's so funny?" I inquire as she sits down beside me.

"Oh, there was this really really cute blond guy in there with his friend who followed me around flirting the whole time," she giggles and steals my lit cigarette, "He gave me his number and told me any time I needed a break from my girlfriend to give him a call. I told him that wasn't bloody likely but he could bring his boyfriend along and we could pretend we were on a double date." I join her in her fit of mirth as we get up and start our way towards the next group of shops.

A few hours later, we are carrying our bags back to our cars, and she gets a call from her mother, wondering where she is and informing her that it is nearly 3 pm. Damn! We'd been here since almost 11 am!

I ignore that little revelation and play with a stray lock of her hair as she explains to her mom that she went out for brunch with a friend and then got sidetracked while shopping. She blushes when I tuck the strands behind her ear and kiss the hollow beneath her ear. I brush the back of my hand along her pink cheek and lean back against her Land Rover, determined to give her all the space she needs to deal with the annoying parental unit.

When she finally convinces her mother that she is on her way home and ends the call, I put my arms around her waist and pull her in for a chaste kiss. "Trouble with the parents?" I pull back and ask before we get too carried away.

Victoria rolls her eyes and relaxes against me, making her breasts press up against my own. Yummy. "My mom is paranoid as all fuck. If I'm five minutes late for anything, she automatically assumes that I've run away and joined the circus or something. It's insane, I know, but what do you do?"

I lean down and run my tongue up the valley between her luscious breasts, making her moan. "Tell her to kiss your ass and then let me take you back out to the cliffs and fuck you so hard that your screams echo out there for a week," I offer with an impish grin.

She laughs and smacks my arm, "You are such a fucking guy sometimes," she gives me a passionate kiss, then pulls back with a contemplative look on her face, "What is this going on between us Bella? Everyone, including me, knows that you don't date. I don't mean to be a buzzkill but I'm finding myself liking you more than I should and I need to know if I should just take all of this at face value, you know, a nice weekend romp with a really hot chick, or should I be looking deeper?"

Fuck.

Just the shit I didn't even want to think about right now.

I gaze into her shining blue eyes for a moment, then sigh and drop my head, "I like you too, but I'm no good for you Victoria. I would never be able to give you all of me, it isn't possible, and you deserve someone who can do that for you because you're a great girl. The most I could ever give you is a really good friendship with the benefits of being really good in bed."

She nods thoughtfully and plays with the drawstring on my hoodie for a few minutes before looking back to me. "It's that boy who moved away a few years ago, isn't it? You're still in love with him, aren't you? Be honest with me, please."

I bob my head once then let my head hang. "Yes. It's only ever been him in my heart," I confess, unable to look her in the eye, "I'm sorry Victoria. You have no idea how sorry I am right now."

She locks her fingers behind my neck and touches her forehead to mine, "It's okay Bella. I'll take what I can get. It's not like we're talking about the rest of our lives here. If that means a few months of mind blowing sex with you, so be it. I'm pretty damn sure we'll still be friends when it comes time to move on. What do you say Ice Queen? Let me be your girl for a little while before you run off and hunt down your Prince Charming?"

I lift my head up and kiss her, infusing it with all of the gratitude and happiness I can conjure. When the need to breathe makes us part, I caress her cheek and am rewarded with her beautiful blush, "I would like that very much. Just be prepared for my friends to ask you what drugs you gave me to get me to agree to this, okay?"

She chortles and nods, "Alright. Now, I don't mean to ask you to be my girlfriend and run, but my mom is going to be pissed if I'm not home soon and that means a grounding and, in turn, that means no free nights to sneak out and fuck your brains out." She gives me another kiss and I open her door for her, swatting her ass right before she sits down. She yelps and I give her my sweetest smile as I close the door and turn back to my own car.

I'm just sliding in when she beeps her horn as she drives past. I laugh and wave before buckling my seat belt and starting the engine.

I catch up with her truck in no time. Bobbing and weaving through traffic, I keep passing her, then slow down enough to let her pass me. Every time I catch a glimpse of her face, I can see her laughing and making goofy faces. I can't wait to get her into bed again, she's a hellcat.

Yeah, I'm in serious trouble now. I had some of the best sex of my life and ended up with a girlfriend in the deal. How the fuck am I going to explain this? My brother is going to have a heart attack and Alice is going to demand every single detail on how Victoria went from being a one night stand to my girlfriend in under 48 hours.

_Fuck that shit._

I'm going home and they can grill me tomorrow, at school, where I can stall all damn day. Maybe I'll ask Victoria to sit with us tomorrow just to stir shit. Emmett's eyes are going to pop out of his skull when he sees the hottie I've managed to snag. Hell, Jasper's might too. Jake and Leah won't care as long as I'm happy and right now I think I'm the happiest that I'll ever get.

**Okay, my dear readers, it's that time again. You've enjoyed the fruits of my labor and all I ask in return is for you to hit that little button and leave me a review. Come on, it's not that hard. I promise.**

**And just because I am part of the movement...**

**REVIEW OR DIE.**


	4. Chapter 3 Mr Brightside

**I own nothing copyrighted but I happen to be in possession of a bunch of man eating houseplants**

**The window lickers that run FF need to get their shit together and actually run their fucking site.**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 3-Mr. Brightside**

**~Edward~**

"Are you sure you want to do this Edward?" Esme asks as I hand her the last breakfast dish to be put in the dishwasher, "Your dad won't release you to go back to school for another few weeks no matter how much you harass him. There is no need to rush things, you just got home last night."

I run my fingers through my hair in another vain attempt to tame it, "Mom, I have to do this. I just need something fucking normal in my life, not to mention that I actually do have to finish school at some damn point if I ever hope to get into college." It's also the best place to see _her_, I add silently. I don't know if she will want me, after the things I've done, but this way I have a chance to finally lay eyes on my angel once more.

She smacks my shoulder, then looks pained when I flinch. "Sorry. Watch your language, you know how I hate that," she chides, "Edward, I can home school you for the semester and you can go back in January, when you're fully recovered." She gently pulls me into her protective embrace. God, I missed this. One more thing that son of a bitch took from me that I have to make up for. "Please son, just give it a few more weeks before you jump back into everything. I will take you and James myself to get you registered for school, this very morning, if you agree to let your dad determine when you are fit to go back."

I wind my arms around her waist, being careful not to bang my broken wrist, and lay my head against her shoulder, "Anything for you Mom," I whisper while trying to keep the tears at bay as she begins stroking my hair, "I'm sorry for pushing so hard. I guess I'm just in a hurry to get my life back." To have my kismet by my side once more.

She gives me a kiss on the forehead then pats my cheek, "I'm going to call your father then get what I need to enroll you and James then. Love you Edward."

I pull her in for another quick hug, "I love you too Mom."

She walks out of the kitchen and I can hear her tell James good morning as she goes upstairs to my dad's office. She adores James and thanks him almost daily for saving my life. I think that's why her and my father were so willing to listen as to why I couldn't just leave my best friend behind in Chicago when the courts finally gave the go ahead to come home.

Carlisle and Esme had understood the complicated relationship between James and I almost immediately. Two teenage boys forced to live and fight together for a year and a half while Edward Masen made his money from our bouts. Some shit happened between us, but that was no one's business but our own. We were all the other had in those months of being shuffled from city to city, fight ring to fight ring, just trying to survive long enough to find a way out.

That bastard, Masen, or big Ed, as he liked to be called, had only wanted me because of a trust fund that had been my biological mothers. Over 300 million was sitting in a bank somewhere and he couldn't touch a penny of it. He thought he could use me to access the money but that got shot down when we found out that I couldn't touch it unless I was eighteen or married. _She_ had known about my trust fund and never cared about it. Once she had went so far as to admit that sometimes she'd wished we were both poor so no one would doubt our love for each other.

James is also the only person I have ever been able to talk about _her_ with. I remember the night I'd managed to say her name. It was after a particularly brutal match and neither of us were sure that I was going to survive the night.

_---flashback---_

Another dingy motel room in a city I can't even remember the name of. The stench of stale vomit and piss makes my stomach churn. The rust and salt smell of blood hangs heavy in the stagnant air as I listen to James rinsing the bloody rags in the bathtub again.

I'd damn near lost the fight tonight and big Ed was pissed. I tried telling him before the fight that I was still sick, but he didn't give a shit that I could barely stand, let alone put on a good show. I'd been pissing blood and running a fever since the last match and all he'd done was throw a couple of bottles of antibiotics and Vicodin at me with the warning that I'd better be ready to go at the end of the week.

James had shoved a needle in my arm, whispering in my ear that I wouldn't feel a damn thing during the fight, but be prepared for the crash afterwards. Crash was the understatement of the century.

I had steadily been beating the guy into the ground when he got in a lucky blow to my abdomen and I'd thrown up blood all over him before collapsing to my knees. I don't think I will ever know why he stepped back and let me get to my feet. He could have, should have finished me when he had the chance, because after I had managed to get my feet under me again, I used the last of my reserve energy to give him a roundhouse kick to the head. Last I'd heard was he had been dumped off at one of those clinics, still convulsing.

None of that mattered now because here I was, laying in a filthy bed that god knows how many hookers have used to turn tricks, with blood coming out of every orifice.

My eyes fall closed again and I vaguely hear James padding back in. The bed shifts as he sinks down beside me and I feel the wet rag being ran over me again.

I'm fucking slowly bleeding to death like that cop in Reservoir Dogs and losing any chance of seeingagain. My mind begins jumping all over the place and I grab James with all the strength I have. Forcing my eyes open, I pull him close to look into his eyes, "If I don't make it out of here, you have to go. Run as far and as fast as you can. Go to Forks Washington. She can hide you. Tell her I sent you and she will protect you. This is the most important thing of all, tell her that I love her and I left my destiny with her."

James nods solemnly, "I promise Edward. But man, you have to tell me her name if you want me to find her. I'll never say it, but I need to know, just in case."

Not being able to hold myself up any longer, my body falls back onto the mattress and my eyes close again as the darkness envelops me.

"Isabella Swan. My kismet."

_---end flashback---_

What will _she_ think when she sees me now? The gangly teenage boy with glasses who had an unhealthy obsession with RPG's and comic books has been replaced by a damaged man with scars covering portions of his now muscular physique. The only fucking upside to the fighting. Big Ed had made us bulk up to stand a chance in the ring against full grown men but made sure we maintained flexibility.

"Dude, you're spacing out on us again, "James taunts as he pads over to the coffee maker and pours himself a cup.

I look up at him and notice all he has on is a pair of jeans that hang low on his hips, "That's just because I don't want to deal with your fucking whiny ass this early in the morning, and put a shirt on asshole, I don't want my mom having to deal with you running around half naked."

He turns and leans against the counter, smirking at me. "I don't know about that Edward, I am fairly certain that I caught her drooling over my abs last night after I got out of the shower and was walking back to my room. Let's face it dude, you're mom thinks I'm hot."

I roll my eyes and throw the dish towel at him, which he easily catches. "Stay the fuck away from my mom James. Flirt with her all you want, but don't even try to get in her pants or I will cut your dick off with a rusty razor."

He flips me the bird then pulls the t-shirt he had tucked into the back of his pants out and slips it on, "Better you fucking cock-blocker? Maybe I should take out my frustration out on you."

"Yeah right, frustrated, " I retort, sarcasm dripping with every word, "I know you, if you don't get laid in some way at least three times a week, you never have a problem resorting to jerking off a few times a day, so don't feed me that bullshit. We'll go up to Port Angeles this weekend and you can sample the local population, just don't bitch when there isn't much variety."

He lets out a loud chuckle and slaps me on the shoulder, ignoring the wince I give, "Aw, come on Simba, I'm just shitting around with you. I promise I won't try anything with your MILF of a mother. Think she'd mind posing for a few pictures while wearing that bathing suit I saw her in a few weeks ago? She's got a body that would makes girls half her age cry in shame."

"James, shut the fuck up before I break your jaw, again," I growl and trudge off to find my shoes while James continues making deviant remarks about how my mom would look in a bikini.

It's funny that I could still make the drive to the school with my eyes closed, if I wanted. The summer my life went to shit, Mom or Dad would take turns driving around Forks with me after I'd gotten my Learner's Permit. I spent hours driving each and every side street, memorizing it all. I could just as easily find my way to _her_ house, though it had always been easier to take my dirt bike on the trails the four of us had made to each others homes. I wonder if they still use them to get around?

Esme parks the car and I hop out first to open the huge umbrella for all of us to walk under. I chuckle internally as we slosh our way to the school, realizing that I had even missed the ever present rain of this dreary place.

Unfortunately we arrive during lunch and the herd of babbling students migrating towards the cafeteria is ridiculous. Esme decides to take the alternate route to the office in an effort to avoid the clusters of children. On our way, I stop dead in my tracks when that old familiar hum begins racing over my skin. _She_ is close. I glance around quickly to make sure that we haven't been spotted, I'm not ready to face her just yet no matter how much I yearn to run to her and take her in my arms. Soon, I promise myself, just as soon as I can figure out what to say to her.

After a few glorious seconds, the current begins to fade and the old ache that I have always felt in ther absence rears its ugly head. I blow out a loud breath and follow Esme and James into the office.

The meeting with the principal, Mr. Greene, and a handful of teachers takes a little over thirty minutes. By then my head and my hand are throbbing like a motherfucker, the consequences of having a broken wrist and a fractured skull. Esme asks James and I to wait in the main office while our transfers are complete.

I'm reading the various newsletters tacked to a cork board when my skin tingles again, stronger this time. I lean sideways in time to see long red brown hair passing by the office doors. Wow. Her hair has gotten so long. I wonder when she cut it last. Is her favorite shampoo still that strawberries and cream she used to be obsessed with? I can still smell the heavanly aroma.

James catches my attention with a raised eyebrow and a look towards the doors. "That was _her_, wasn't it?" he whispers, clearly awed at the beauty that is my angel.

I nod my head once but keep my lips tightly closed. This is not a subject for discussion right now. He seems to get the message, instead strolling over and flirting with Mrs. Cope, the school secretary. I swear, the man has no shame.

After extracting every piece of useful information as I can from the fliers, I situate myself in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs, lay my head back against the concrete wall, and close my eyes while tying to will my pain away from me.

_"Keep your eyes closed Bella," I tell her, fighting to keep my voice even though my heart is breaking, "I'm sorry and I love you, but count to one hundred and twenty before opening them love. By that time I will be gone and it will be like I never existed. Nothing but a dream."_

_I kiss her honeyed lips for what could be the last time and then the most painful words I ever will speak in my life come tumbling out, "Be happy Isabella, you must find a destiny without me now. I love you." I can't let her see me leave in case my plan works, "Now start counting. Out loud."_

_"I love you too Edward, please don't leave me, there is no future for me if you're not in it," she pleads as I quickly step away from her, dropping her hand._

_"Count Bella." I command her, my voice breaking. I don't know if I can do this. I have to. I hurl myself at the window and push it open. The storm outside is a pale reflection compared to the one raging inside of me right now._

_"One. __Tw__-two. Three," I hear her trip and fall, but manage to stop myself from going back when there is no cry of pain. Come on Bella, keep counting angel. I need you to do this because I won't have the strength otherwise._

_"F-f-four. Five. S-six. Seven. Eight. N-n-nine. Te-t-ten. Oh god Edward, I can't do this. Please don't leave me alone," she sobs and I freeze on the trellis, letting the rain and wind tear at me. This is my punishment, even the gods don't want us to be apart._

_If this works, we won't have to be. Lets hope my legs don't give out, I tell myself as I start running up the trail. Failure is not an option Edward. You fail, you lose Bella. You lose Bella, you lose your kismet._

"Edward, wake the fuck up, your mom's on her way out," James huffs, pushing me off of his shoulder. I lean forward in the chair and rub the sleep from my eyes as I yawn.

Esme smiles at us as she exits Mr. Greene's office, "All set. When Carlisle clears you to come back is when you with both officially start. Someone will have to stop twice a week to pick up and drop off your assignments until then because no one wants either of you to fall behind again after working so hard over the summer."

I kiss her cheek, "Thanks mom, you're the best."

She gives me a bright smile, "I try." She takes the umbrella from James as we leave the building.

I wink at her, "And you succeed."

Just then, my foot catches on the door and I stumble forward until James catches me. "You okay?" he asks when I finish cursing myself for being so damn clumsy.

I nod, "Just a little groggy still." I don't bother pulling away from the hand that grips mine, it's a comforting gesture, and that's saying something out of James. He's not the most affectionate person in the world and this wouldn't be happening if he didn't trust me not to fuck him over.

It's pouring down rain as we make our way to the parking lot. A gust of wind nearly blows the umbrella out of Esme's dainty hands and reflexively I reach out with my casted hand to steady it for her after getting a taste of the cool rain down my back. I bite back the stabbing pains that run through my hand and shoulder as I let go of the handle. "You have to be more careful mom, you're not Mary Poppins."

She playfully tries to elbow me, but I skip just out of her reach, openly snickering at her attempt. "Let's get you two home, " she chuckles, "Edward, you need to take your meds as soon as we get there, you're an hour overdue."

I simply nod and open the passenger side door for her. "I know you don't like driving in a downpour Mom, I can do it," I explain when she gives me a perplexed expression. She thanks me and slides into the Mercedes. James has already gotten in the back seat so I hand him the umbrella to put on the floor as I get in.

Esme reminds me to put my seat belt on before I start that car and I comply with a wry smirk. Of all the things Esme Cullen may be, a bad mother is certainly not one of them. I fight the urge to light a cigarette as I drive north, Mom doesn't like us smoking in her car. I glance in the rear view and note that the look on James' face betrays that he's experiencing the same problem.

I distract myself by playing with the satellite radio until I find a suitable song to get caught up in. 'Bring Me to Life' from Evanessence is the lucky winner. Damn, can Amy Lee sing. What shocks me is when my mother sings every lyric to the song, her pure soprano filling the air, floating harmoniously with my own tenor. She winks at me as we sing the duet and I'm reminded once again just how awesome my mother is.

When the song ends, she apologizes, blushing profusely. "Never be ashamed of that Mom," I chastise her, "I don't care if you sounded like a dying goose when you sang, it would still be beautiful to me." She just blushes deeper and gives me a peck on the cheek.

Esme asks me to drop her off at the hospital, stating that Carlisle gets off in a few hours. She would just come home with him because Carlisle was going to be in his office all afternoon catching up on paperwork and would appreciate the company. She had planned on stopping and picking up dinner tonight so there was no hurry to get home and start cooking.

After a dozen promises that I would take my meds as soon as I got in the door, she walks into the hospital while James jumps into the front seat. "How fast does this baby go?" he asks, lighting each of us a smoke.

"We're about to find out," I answer, shifting into drive and slamming on the gas.

James laughs and grabs the oh shit bar over the door as I cut a tight turn out of the parking lot and onto the rain soaked road. I turn up the music, currently 'Machine Head' from Bush as the speedometer reaches 80 mph. I hit my elbow while trying to put down the window and it sends a sharp spike of pain into my already throbbing wrist but I push away the pain and focus on the winding curves of the road.

"So what do you think of the place I grew up in?" I casually ask James as we speed towards my parents house at a cool 120 mph, "Bet it's nothing like you were expecting."

"It's not Beaver Cleaverville, but close enough to make me want to start breaking as many laws I can as soon as the opportunities begin to present themselves," he answers, an impish grin tugging at his lips, "I think we're going to have to organize a little B and E at the high school once we start going that way if our prints come up, they'll be disregarded as being just another students."

"What do you have in mind, oh great prankster?"

"Recon my man," he qualifies, "We need to know which teachers we need to look out for, which we can pull whatever on, and which resident wannabe badasses we need to beat down to send the message that we are not to be fucked with. You hack the school computer while I skim over hard copies."

I pull into the long driveway leading home, "I don't know man, my hacking skills are just a touch fucking rusty."

James gives me an exasperated look, "Like that ever stopped you from hacking into big Ed's bank account and padding it so we could get a night or two off between fights. Besides, did you even fucking look at the program that secretary was using? It was Windows 98 Edward! I bet there are close to zero firewalls on the pc's at that school. If you can't hack that shit, you need to give up all together and go be a bus boy or something."

At this point we are walking into the kitchen so I can get a bottle of water to wash my pain meds down with. "Damn Jay, you sure as hell remembered how to be a teenage delinquent real fucking quick." I close my eyes and cradle my wrist, the sharp pains no longer willing to be ignored.

"What the hell did you do to it this time? Let me see it," James demands as he takes my hand and begins massaging my fingers. "You should have let me drive home if you were in this much pain you dipshit."

"Fuck Jay, why didn't I think of that?" I let my head fall back against the fridge, "Oh yeah, maybe it was because you wouldn't have been able to find the fucking driveway you fuctard."

I hear him chortle, "Well, after I'm done with your hand, I'm going to get you a Midol to quell your PMS and if that don't work, I think I'm going to beat you unconscious just so I don't have to hear you whine like a little bitch. Maybe after that I'll have my way with you and give my hand a break for the night."

I can't help but chuckle, "Oh baby, you know how to be so romantic. Beating me, drugging me, and fucking me while I'm out cold, Casanova must be jealous."

"Damn straight bitch, now go park your ass on the couch while I pick a movie out for us," James instructs as he presses his lips against the knuckles of my busted hand.

I impulsively reach out with my good hand and pull his face to mine, our lips colliding and instantly moving together. Whatever asshole James can be when provoked, I will never bash him on his kissing talent. He moans and grinds his hips against my own, making me hard in record time. His tongue touches against my bottom lip, begging for entrance as he winds his arms around my waist. I immediately let him in, caressing his tongue with my own.

We carefully navigate our way into the living room, our hands and lips never losing contact, until my calves touch the edge of the couch and only then do we part long enough to collapse next to one another before our urges resurface. Our mouths battle for dominance, but we aren't keeping track of who is winning.

His hands brush along my sides and I can't bite back the laughter that erupts so I get even by knocking him off of the couch and finding that little spot on the back of his knees where he is the most ticklish, then assaulting them mercilessly. That starts an all out wrestling match, complete with trash-talking.

Our little battle is interrupted by the front door opening then Esme and Carlisle calling out that they're home. We untangle our limbs and flop back down on the couch. We smirk at each other and I charlie-horse his leg, causing him to yelp and fall off the couch again while holding his leg.

In that moment of mirth something occurs to me. James and I may have been intimate a time or two out of desperate loneliness, but we both knew now that we could never be more than good friends. I look at his face and notice a similar shifting in his eyes, he's realized it too. It's amazing how the world can change direction in the span of a heartbeat. She was so close, no longer a dream, there was no room for anyone else, and James understands that.

Carlisle strolls into the living room and eases himself into his favorite overstuffed recliner. "Your mother said that she took you both to register for school today after making a little deal, care to elaborate?"

I toss him the remote, "Nothing big Dad. Mom made me agree to basically keep my mouth shut and wait for you to decide when I was ready to start school before she'd take us to get registered. You know how evil she can be."

He chuckles as he flips the station to the weather channel, "That I do know a bit about. Personally, I agree with her about the possibility of holding off until next semester for you to start back, but I can also see the benefits of re-integrating yourself in the life of a teenager as soon as it's appropriate. I know that both of you are far more mature than most of the students you will encounter, but socialization is a necessary part of your healing process. You remember what the therapist said before we left Chicago."

James and I both nod, then jump to our feet and race to the kitchen when Esme calls out that dinner is ready. Yeah, we may have been through hell, but food is still the way to a man's heart.

The rest of the week is fairly uneventful. Most of the hours of my day are spent doing school work, spending time with my parents, working out in our home gym, and trying to think of ways to not stand out once I start school again. My nights are a completely different story. When sleep evades me and I've exhausted every avenue of distraction, my thoughts always find there way back to _her_. Fighting the urge to grab my old dirt bike and speed down the trail that would ultimately lead me to her house is an agonizing struggle.

And tonight I finally caved in. I had to see _her_.

After waiting until everyone was asleep, I'd grabbed my helmet from my closet and slinked my way down to the garage. My old riding jacket is missing but it probably wouldn't have fit to begin with. I grab my dad's and shrug it on before grabbing my bike and pushing it out of the garage and up the trail a few hundred yards, using the headlight to guide me.

Once I'm fairly certain that I won't wake anyone, I start the bike and race up the path, which ends up being surprisingly clear of debris. It takes ten minutes to reach the mansion and immediately I can tell that no one is at home. I cut the engine and walk the bike down the back hill to hear a familiar barking, so I lean the bike against a tree right off the path and jog towards the yapping.

"Shh, Seth buddy, it's me. Damn you got big pup, what is she feeding you? Entire cows? I'd hate to be the one paying your food bill," I say in my most soothing voice as I creep closer to the large kennel where the black, grey, and tan half wolf is jumping on his hind legs."I know you remember me, I used to give you my pizza crust for you to gnaw on when you were a pup." I continue talking and it seems to work. His barks shift from deep, protective woofs to happy, welcoming yips as I reach the gate.

Tentatively, I stretch out my good hand and hope that he doesn't decide to bite it because it would be really fucking difficult to do anything if I suddenly found myself missing an appendage. Lady Luck smiles down upon me though, as soon as my hand touches the fence, Seth begins licking it enthusiastically. "Good boy," I praise him as I fumble for the leash hanging by the gate, "now sit." The massive canine complies though his tail still wags at a few thousand revolutions a minute.

I hook his leash onto his collar through the gate before opening it and springing him from his wire and mesh prison. The second he is free, he pounces on me and knocks me to the ground while licking the skin off of my face. "Down Seth," I command in a stern voice and he belatedly listens after a few more complimentary licks to my ear.

After using him to pull myself to my feet, I walk him down to the beach, just like she and I had often done when he was just a pup. Deja-vous makes an appearance when Seth finds a stick and trots over to me with it in his mouth. I actually glance around for a moment, waiting for _her_ to appear. When she doesn't, I unhook the pup's lead as I take the piece of driftwood from Seth and toss it down the beach. The half wolf launches himself after it excitedly, snagging it only moments after it bounces to a stop on the sand.

Amazingly, he bites the stick and begins prancing back towards me with it, smugness radiating from every strand of his fur. Why the hell should you be surprised that the damn dog is bringing the stick back instead of laying in the sand and chewing it like he used to? It is possible for life to have kept going after you left dumbass.

I reach my hand out and Seth drops the wood into my hand. He starts bouncing a circle around me as I draw back and release again then shoots off like a furry, dog-shaped rocket across the pale shoreline.

This little game goes on for almost an hour, which is when Seth suddenly gets bored with the whole thing and proceeds to chewing the stick into splinters while I sit on a dead tree that has been half buried by sand and gaze out to the ocean.

I don't realize how much time has passed until I go to light a cigarette and discover I only have one left. I check my phone to see that it's nearly 4 am. I put Seth's leash back on him and lead him back to his kennel. He huffs when I open the gate, but pads in without a struggle. I secure the gate and place the leash back on its hook. "Be good pup, take care of her for me. Hopefully I'll be able to come back soon and all three of us can play fetch," I whisper and trudge back to my bike.

I happen to look up at the massive house and feel my chest constrict when I see the trellis, still in place, taunting me as it stops at the windowsill of the very portal that contained the room where the best and worst night of my life had occurred in. Do they still hide out up there? Does _she_ still sneak into the little room to read when it's too hot and muggy to do so outside? Did she find the cuff, my cuff, the one that bears the crest of my adoptive parents, that I had left with her? One of the only physical parts of me that I could leave with her.

I shake my head to clear it. Too many questions right now, maybe it's best that she wasn't home tonight. As much as I still love her, as I still need her, nothing about this is going to be easy. Another time then, I decide and move farther into the dark woods before starting my bike and speeding home. Unfortunately I get distracted riding the different trails and run out of gas about a mile from the house.

The sky is beginning to lighten as I finally roll the dirt bike back into its spot in the garage. Fuck, I've been out all night. No sense in trying to crash out now, might as well do something constructive. I slip into the house and ghost up to my room to change into my workout clothes.

No one bothers me as I work my frustrations out while rocking out to Disturbed. I don't stop until my body feels like its turned into Jello. My legs move along the floor as if lead weights are attached to them, making the journey to my room a lengthy and painful endeavor.

Why did I ever want my room to be on the third floor? Oh yeah right, because I'm a fucking idiot. Nice Edward, you are now one step closer to competing for the Twit of the Year Award.

After making my way to the bathroom and turning on the shower, I wrap my cast in its plastic bag, peel off my damp clothes, and step under the torrent of steaming water. I lazily wash my hair and body, too tired to put much more than bare minimal effort into it. When I'm done, I wrap a towel loosely around my hips and shuffle back into my room, choosing to forgo shaving until my hands are a bit more steady.

I don't make it to get dressed. I vaguely remember sitting on my bed and leaning back to grab a pair of flannel pajama pants that Esme had bought me when I was in the hospital in Chicago. Everything after that is black.

_"Come on little man, you think you can take me," Ed laughs, wiping his bloody knuckles on his torn shirt, "Time to put up or shut up you little shit instead of running your damn mouth at me."_

_I level my face with his and spit the blood that had been pooling in my mouth into his face. "Go fuck yourself Ed," I sneer as I wipe my mouth on my sleeve and get back onto my feet, "We're done being your fucking payday."_

_The arrogant prick grins at me, "Now now Eddie, do I have to remind you how easy it would be to make a few phone calls and have that little girlfriend of yours become the newest plaything for the fighters?"_

_It's my turn to laugh, "You really are an idiot, aren't you? Yesterday I would have believed that ploy, but now that I know just how much money you owe those supposed friends of yours, I know there is no fucking way you'll be making a phone call to any of them to go anywhere near her because if you call, then they know where to find you. If they know where to find you, well, we both know what happens to pathetic little motherfuckers who can't keep their debts squared away."_

_He roars, furious that his bluff has been called, and launches himself at me. I see the glint of the knife too late and I can feel the blade sink into me as we crash through the second story warehouse window, still grappling._

_Only one thing comes to my mind as we fall._

_My Bella._

_I love you._

Searing pain tearing through my left shoulder and wrist as I slam into the floor. I warily scan the room, then relax when I find myself in my bedroom, safe and sound, relatively speaking.

_Idiot, you fell off the bed._

Shut up.

I gingerly examine my nearly healed shoulder, hoping that I didn't tear anything. My wrist hurts from having all my weight land on it, but it doesn't seem to have taken any new damage. None of this knowledge stops the fact that I am sore beyond belief. It takes all of my concentration not to cry out as I get to my feet and put on the flannel pajama bottoms that I had fallen asleep reaching for.

Note to self, don't over exert the damaged appendages because it hurts like a motherfucker.

I grab the plain white t-shirt and carefully pull it on, my muscles protesting vehemently.

Second note, don't fall off the damn bed, it too hurts like a motherfucker.

I stretch out my sore muscles as I shuffle into the bathroom to relieve my screaming bladder. Once I have my human moment, I take out the gritty contacts I fell asleep in out and put my glasses on, then force myself to shave the past few days worth of stubble off. I wet my hair down and run a comb through it, it's growing back nicely, but I can't seem to do any more with it now than I could before big Ed had chopped it all off. It was a little over three inches long now and has a tendency to stick up in such a way that made it look like I had been caught in a windstorm. James said I have perpetual sex hair.

_If only._

I said shut up.

When I'm done, I slowly make my way down to the kitchen in search of something to appease my snarling stomach. As usual, Esme has outdone herself. Sitting in the icebox is a plate heaped with spaghetti and meatballs and two pieces of cheesy garlic bread stacked on top of it. I grab it and put in it the microwave after covering the food with a paper towel. As the food heats, I get a glass from the cupboard and fill it with water before taking my meds. At least the pain pills will alleviate some of the aches and pains from my dumbass moment this morning.

The microwave beeps so I grab a fork before retrieving my food and parking my ass on a stool at the island. I can hear the faint sounds of 'Only Time' from Enya floating in from the open french doors that lead to the back patio. Esme and Carlisle must be back there and I purposely drive my mind away from visions of what they might be up to. I check the clock to see that it's after seven. Shit, I slept all day.

I see James come in through the french doors, wearing a black t-shirt, faded jeans with the knees torn out, and a pair of cowboy boots. Damn, he reminds me of Jasper sometimes. "Ah, so Sleeping Beauty has awoken. Enjoy your little nap? I hope so, we're going to a party tonight."

I chuck an eyebrow at him, "How in the hell did you manage to find a party to crash?"

He shrugs, "Evidently some trio of rich juvenile delinquents, that happens to include a certain brunette you are particularly fond of, take turns throwing a bash at the start of every school year. Your dad was telling me about it. He seemed very disappointed in their behavior."

"Do you know which one of the three are having it?" I bet it's Alice. Evil pixie extraordinaire.

He rolls an apple down his arm, popping up into the air, "Some chica named Brandon, that's all I really know except that she's some kind of witch."

I roll my eyes, "That's Alice alright. She's a Wiccan, by the way. When Alice's mom started going out with Laurent, they were introduced to it. And there is no way you're getting into that party without an invitation man, trust me. Besides, don't we have a school to break into?"

He takes a bite of apple and shrugs, "I thought we weren't doing that until we actually started at the school?"

"Yeah, well, I'm bored shitless and the party isn't an option at the moment." There's no fucking way I would make it through the damn thing and not get recognized.

It's his turn to roll his eyes, "You know man, just because you're afraid of coming across people you know doesn't mean we can't crash a party and have some fun. With that being said, let's go break a few laws!"

"You are such a fucking child sometimes Jay," I grumble, but go upstairs to change after putting my dishes in the dishwasher.

He bounds passed me just before I reach the second floor landing, "What's the matter Cullen? Too sore to run after your little workout this morning? Maybe you should stay home then, like the little bitch you are."

I resist the urge to trip him and begin taking the stairs two at a time instead, "Keep it up fuctard and I'm going to kick your ass before we ever leave the house," I growl as he runs down the hall to his room.

_A few hours and a couple of picked locks later....._

Yeah, my muscles are screaming again as we search the Main Office, but I'm not going to give the son of a bitch the satisfaction of watching me flinch every time I move. At least I have the excuse of being the only hacker between the two of us, which I utilize to my advantage eagerly to find a place to sit down after two hours of wandering the halls and snooping in classrooms.

I easily crack the passwords, they haven't been changed since I pathetic, the funding these small schools get. I decide to start the fun with erasing all of the names on the detention list. Juvenile, I know, but being in this school is causing the fifteen year old boy to resurface.

I then start going through and find three names and change all of their grades to A's. It's the least I can do for them considering that I figure that Carlisle is going to make me stay home another two weeks, at least, and I know I'll need that time to work out exactly what I'm going to say.

A thump on the desk startles me. I turn to see a stack of folders piled on the desk and James grinning like the Joker. "What the fuck are those?" I ask incredulously.

He rolls his eyes but his grin never falters, "Dude, you have to change the hard copies along with the digital ones or someone will know the shit has been tampered with. I know that you were already in your three friends' files so I took the liberty of grabbing them. There's only three because I couldn't find a Quil Ateara or an Embry Call. You ought to see some of the shit your girl had done in the past two years man. She went from perfect student to ultimate delinquent in no time flat."

I nod, "Quil and Embry would have graduated last year so it's no surprise that you didn't find anything on them."

He picks up a folder and opens it. "Anyways. Her list of offences are as follows: Breaking and entering, destruction of school property on multiple occasions, bringing cigarettes onto school property, violating the school dress code by wearing shirts with deliberately offensive material written on them, being intoxicated while at school, disrespectful to school staff, disrupting class, truancy, public nudity? Huh, the note in here basically says that she flashed her tits in the lunchroom while showing her friends her new nipple rings."

He gasps, then snickers, "Fuck me, she totalled two Driver's Ed cars last year after another chick named Tanya Denali trash-talked her during class. She waited for the other girl to get into a car then played demolition derby with the girl until the engine of her car caught fire. Nice. Inciting a riot in the lunchroom her freshman year. Is that what they call food fights nowadays? Mooning her Spanish teacher, 13 physical confrontations, including one incident involving our new buddy, Mr. Greene. Holy shit, she decked the fucking principal Cullen! It says here that her reason for hitting him was that he didn't know when to keep his mouth shut and she felt he needed a reminder. She got expelled for the remainder of the school year for that stunt. There's some other little shit but it isn't nearly as interesting. How in the hell she manages all of that and keeps a 4.0 GPA, I'll never know."

James looks down at me, smirking impishly, as he closes the folder and sets it aside, "It's official Cullen. Your little sweetheart is not only the perfect woman, she's also my new hero."

My mind reeling with the onslaught of new information, I close my eyes and rub my face vigorously. How in the hell did she end up like this? The girl I knew was reserved, shy, and hated to fight. Jasper and I had dragged her and Alice to Muay Thai lessons from the time we were 11 so I had no doubt that she could take care of herself, but that's not a why, just a how she was fighting. Why would people provoke her all of those times? My angel would never throw the first punch because she always believed there was another way to settle things other than a fight. Had my leaving damaged her as much as it had me?

I blow out the breath I had been holding, "There had to be something that provoked her into doing those things, she's not a violent person. Damn, she's so shy that she would turn ten shades of red when I would kiss her on the cheek on the way to class. She also had a healthy respect for others, even if she bristles under authority occasionally."

He chuckles and picks up a new folder, "Yeah, come talk to me when you're done deifying a girl you haven't seen hide nor hair of in two years. Okay, Jasper Swan Whitlock. He's sounds like a pansy. Who gives their son the middle name Swan? Dude, he's her brother?! They don't look anything alike. He has some offences under his belt too, though nothing as flamboyant as flashing pierced nips or clocking the principal. The occasional truancy, a few offensive t-shirts, got caught with a joint his freshman year. Whoa, fucking awesome."

My eyes fly open, "What now?" I try to keep my voice low, but his unabashed amusement at my friends antics is a touch infectious combined with the adrenaline already coursing through my veins.

He reads in silence a little longer just to provoke me. I draw back to punch his leg when he finally answers. "Jasper Whitlock and Mary Alice Brandon were both suspended for three days last semester after getting caught quote unquote 'fornicating' in a janitors closet during their lunch period. In here it says Mary Alice was defiant to the point that she asked the teacher who had caught them if they could at least finish before going to the office. Dude, I seriously can't wait to meet your friends, they are cool as shit."

I double check the hard copy of _her_ file with the one glaring at me on the monitor then hit Delete, erasing her less than stellar record. I'm only doing it because no college would dare touch her with that kind of record. I do it for Jazz and Ali as well before pulling up what will be my class schedule and reworking it to match hers as much as possible. I never intend on being away from her again, even if it ends up being just as a friend. That choice would be _hers_.

"I'm done here," I finally confess after an hour of nonstop typing. I shut the computer down and push away from the desk, flexing the fingers of my casted hand.

James ties the bag containing the shredded paper closed and slings it over his shoulder, "About fucking time Cullen. What's next, since you're being a bitch about crashing the biggest party outside of Seattle?"

"We could always get stoned, play the X-Box, and drive to Wal-Mart when we get the munchies," I offer sarcastically as I stretch my stiff muscles.

Eerily enough his face lights up like a kid on Christmas, "That sounds like a plan! I got some shit at home that will make the walls melt, seriously," He begins following me out," Wait, what are we doing to do with this bag?"

I take it from him as we get to the car, "We're going to burn it, of course. Can't be implicated in a crime that there is no evidence whatsoever linking you to it." I toss the bag into the backseat of the new Volvo that Carlisle bought for me and climb in, "I have no fucking clue why my father would think a teenager, or anyone for that matter, would think a damn hatchback Volvo was cool on any level."

James lights a cigarette as we pull out of the parking lot, "I don't mind it too much. It's actually real practical."

"Practical can kiss my ass," I scoff, "I'm buying a different car as soon as I get the fucking chance. You can have the Hunchbackmobile."

When we get home, James runs up to his room while I walk around to the back patio, where the fire pit is. Lucky for us, my parents had a fire burning until late in the evening so no suspicion will be aroused over new ashes being found in the pit. I stir up some of the still hot coals and toss the bag in, then drop a few logs on top.

"I guess we're doing this out here then?" James asks as he hands me a half-full bottle of Captain Morgan's.

"Why not?" I take a pull from the bottle as he grabs a seat and pulls one of the end tables over between his long legs, "It's a nice night and I don't want my room stinking like reefer."

He snickers while digging into a small plastic bag, "The only fucking thing nice about this is we're under an awning that won't catch fire tonight because it's pouring down rain."

I flop down next to him, "And?"

He produces a twisted fat cigarette from the bag, "And nothing. Give me your lighter, mine's dead." I toss the silver rectangle at him.

"Don't fucking lose that," I warn as he holds the flame to the tip, "Or I will seriously cut your balls off. It's an antique, my granddad's."

James takes a long draw and passes it to me, "Like you're going to accomplish much with that cast on Gimpolicious. When do you get the damn thing off anyways?"

I take a few hits and pass the mutant cigarette back, "In about two weeks, according to dad. I'll probably go back to school then. It would be more of a hassle to show up for school wounded already. I'd have to be fighting idiots off left and right."

He props his feet up on the little table as he inhales, "But think about the sympathy factor you'd incur out of the ladies bro. They would be all over that, especially if you told them some bullshit story about saving someone's kitten from a tree or some shit like that."

"I don't want anyone's fucking sympathy and I'm sure as hell not going to play it up to get into some unsuspecting girls pants, that's your area of expertise Jay. And to think, you transitioned from boy hooker to underground fighter to horny high school boy seemingly unscathed. Either the shrink you're seeing is really good or the drugs are real fucking powerful."

He throws his head back and laughs, "What if I said it was both? Having to see a mind fucker has turned out to be much more pleasurable than I originally thought."

I shake my head, disbelieving."Oh god, you're banging your therapist, aren't you?"

His grin would make the Cheshire cat proud. "Why do you think I have two, two hour sessions a week now instead of just one, like you?"

"You have no fucking respect at all man," I snort and take another swig of rum.

James rips the bottle from my hands. "I am offended by that remark, Edward Cullen. I respect the hell out of her every time we have a session," he chuckles and drains what's left of the rum.

I punch him in the arm, "You drank all the rum!"

He nods solemnly, tipping the bottle upside down and shaking it a few times for effect, "Yes, the rum is gone, now stop trying to do a bad imitation of Jack Sparrow and enjoy your buzz asshole."

We sit there the rest of the night, talking and getting higher than a fucking kite. I remember watching the sun rise, but nothing after that.

"Dude, wake the fuck up," James growls, kicking the lounge chair, "I want some fucking pancakes asap."

I sit up and try to rub the grit from my eyes, mentally kicking myself for fucking sleeping in my contacts. Again. "What time is it?" The sun is pretty high up so there's no way it's still early enough to crawl into bed and sleep the rest of this shit off.

"It's after ten, let's go," He grabs my arm and pulls me to my feet, "I'm fucking hungry."

"Let me find my keys and shit first," I tell him, yawning.

James grumbles a little as I stumble into the house to take a piss. I also take out my gritty contacts and slide my glasses on. He's waiting by the front door with my phone, and smokes. "How fucking cute Cullen, you remind me of Clark Kent, only you're more of a geek. Where the hell are the keys?"

I give him the middle finger and put my phone and cigarettes in my pocket. "I have the keys already. Shut the fuck up or I'm slitting your throat and dumping your stupid ass into the Pacific ocean Nomada," I growl as I trudge down the steps and into the garage.

James plays it smart and keeps his mouth firmly shut on the ride to Port Angeles. He rolls us another smoke and after takes a few tokes, hands it to me as a kind of peace offering. As soon as I inhale, the buzz that was severely waning flares back into life and calms me down immediately.

The normal hour drive takes us under 35 minutes because I never let the speedometer fall under 85mph the entire ride. What can I say? I hate driving slow.

The only eatery we can find open that serves breakfast is a Tim Horton's. A frizzy haired brunette leads us to a table and hands us a menu. "What can I get you boys to drink while you look over the menu?" she asks.

"Coffee. Black," James and I answer simultaneously. She grins and says she'll be back with our coffees in a few minutes.

"Where's the goddamn pancakes?" James snarls, flipping through the menu for the second time. "Don't tell me they don't have pancakes or I'm going to go ape shit on someone."

I ignore his whining and peruse the available selection. Shit. They really don't have pancakes. "What kind of place does not have pancakes on their breakfast menu?" I ask, my voice a touch too loud.

"No fucking kidding," James seconds, closing the menu and tossing it on the table. "Hey lady! Why in the hell don't you serve pancakes? They are the quintessential breakfast food after pizza."

Our waitress comes up with our coffee, "Is there a problem gentlemen?"

James points to the menus, "Yeah there's a problem. You don't have any fucking pancakes and I only came into this place because the sign said you served breakfast. How can you even say that when you don't have any pancakes?"

She glares at him, "There's no need to yell sir, it's not my fault that we don't carry pancakes. Maybe I could interest you in one of our breakfast sandwiches?"

He smacks his hand off of the table and gets to his feet, "What happened to the customer is always right and shit? This customer wants pancakes and you cock suckers don't have any!"

"He's got a point," I interject in a much calmer voice than James', "You really shouldn't advertise that you serve breakfast if you refuse to carry a menu that suits the palettes of many different people." Part of my brain is screaming just how ridiculous all of this is, but the rest of my brain is not listening at all.

Dammit.

"What in the hell do you expect me to do about it? It's not like I can make the shit appear out of thin air!" the woman fires back just as her manager comes upon the confrontation.

"What in the world did you just say to that customer?" the overweight balding man asks, his face livid and jowls quivering.

She turns and begins explaining the situation while James and I sneak passed them and run to the car with our cups of coffee firmly in hand.

We pull out of the lot and instantly spot a McDonald's a few blocks down. As we're pulling out, I see a light blue Supra enter the parking lot from the opposite end. I hope that they don't get the bitchy waitress, she might end up spitting in whatever they order.

Once in McDonald's, James literally orders one of everything on the breakfast menu, including two orders of pancakes or whatever the hell they call them. It takes an hour to devour everything, but we're nothing but smiles as we wander the little shopping district and occasionally check out a shop that catches our attention.

One such store that James drags me into is one of those New Age shops that are filled with stones and incense and shit like that. Even after all this time, I must still be spoiled by the shops like this that Alice and her family would visit on our group trips to Seattle because this place is grossly overpriced and understocked. I meander my way over to the homemade candles and begin sniffing each one.

I hear the little bell over the door ring and tear my attention away from the candles to spot a fairly attractive redhead slip in, looking like a woman on a mission. James saunters up to her, trying to start a conversation. I move a bit closer in case I need to save the jackass from himself.

They make light conversation until James asks for her phone number and she laughs at him and points out the window. I can't see who or what she is pointing at but I hear James tell her that anytime she needs a break from her girlfriend to give him a call. She informs him that's not bloody likely but he could bring his boyfriend, her eyes flicker to me briefly as I am less than three feet behind him now, along and we could pretend we were on a double date. He laughs and replies with "I'll be waiting on bated breath until you call then, beauteous Victoria." She smirks at him as she pays for her things and steps back out onto the sidewalk.

He comes over to me, "That was probably the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life man, and she just told me that she's not currently into dating men. Good thing she goes to Forks, I have plenty of time to change her mind about that."

I put my chosen items on the counter and pay for them, "You not only have no respect, you have no class either dickface. Let's bolt before her girlfriend comes in here to kick your ass and mine just for being in close proximity."

We take our shit to the car and I toss James the keys without argument. If he's going to be the one driving it, he might as well get used to it now.

As he navigates the streets, he pokes my arm and points out the window, "There she is, with that brunette! Whoa, they're both fine as hell from the back." We roll past them and the dark haired girl holding Victoria's hand glances our way. My heart stops dead for a second, then begins racing in my chest.

Bella.

My Isabella.

My kismet.

My everything.

And she's holding hands with another woman? What the fuck? Did I just enter an alternate reality or something?

I twist myself around in the seat to get a second look. That is most definitely her. There is no mistaking that face anywhere, even with the scratches and bruises. What the hell happened to her? Did she get into a fight or something? "Stop the car Jay!" I demand and start unbuckling my seat belt.

He grabs me with one arm and prevents me from exiting the still moving car. "Fuck that man, there is no way I'm letting you get around her while you're as fucked up as you still are, you'll just make an ass out of yourself and I don't think that's how either of you will want to remember your fairy-tale reunion," he retorts and turns south onto the highway, heading in the direction of Forks.

I stare at him, dumbfounded. "How did you know that was her?"

He rolls his eyes and lights a cigarette, "Um, you said her name when we drove by and I put two and two together to make five. Pretty fucking simple. Hot brunette, all fucked up from fighting, probably, and you telling me to stop the car. In a cluster of towns this small, I doubt there are many women running around with that name who also fit the description of your girl."

I growl at him, but he ignores it. "Edward, you still have at least two weeks to square your shit away and figure out what you're going to say to her. If she really is your destiny, as you say, two more weeks isn't going to hold a candle to the two years that you've been apart."

I glare at him, "You don't know anything. She needs me."

He rolls his eyes but makes no move to turn around and go back. "Look, I know it sounds really shitty right about now, but think about this: you're half-baked, you reek of weed, have nasty ass breath, and are in need of a shower something fierce. She looks like she's had a rough couple of days and could use some time just chilling out with a friend that isn't going to make her cry or give her a heart attack. She looked like she was doing just fine when we drove by so relax before you have an aneurysm or some shit."

"So I'm supposed to do absolutely nothing?" I nearly shout.

"Dude, get her cell phone number and call her first, tell her you're finally coming home to her. Work some of this shit out before you inadvertently crash into each other at school and create some kind of scene that will most likely make things more fucked up than they already are. Lastly, stop doing shit that's going to get you killed, like trying to dive out of moving vehicles," he advises and turns up the volume on the stereo, a clear indication of the end of our talk.

The sad fact is, James' words actually made perfect sense, even in my altered state. Okay, that's beyond frightening all on it's own, but that doesn't make them any less true. Fuck. Why did he have to pick now to be rational?

This is going to be a long two weeks.

**Alrighty**** my lovelies, I worked really hard on this and all I want in return is for you to click that little button and leave me a review. Why? You ask. That's easy. Reviews are better than pancakes.**

**For those who don't understand nice:**

**REVIEW OR DIE.**


	5. Chapter 4 Rocket Science

**Still don't own anything copyrighted...****meh****....**

**And for the record, FF sucks ass for the epic fail over the weekend.**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 4--Rocket Science**

**~Bella~**

I hate Mondays, I am now convinced that they are the bane of my teenage existence.

It doesn't help that I had to help Jasper sneak Alice in at 2 am and get her back out by 5 am, roughly 15 minutes before Jake and Leah woke up. That was a little too close for comfort and I told him to either get better at being stealthy or get her out a little fucking earlier. Jasper was less than thrilled about that observation.

I also have an entire school of idiots to look forward to who will no doubt say all kinds of wonderful things when they see Victoria and I together today. The joys of high school dating. Someone please shoot me now.

"What's got you so distracted honey?" Jake asks me while sitting Jasper and my sausage and cheese omelets down in front of us.

"Nervous mostly," I qualify, "How do you act around someone you're dating? Is there a certain code of ethics that I have to live by now? It's not like I have a lot of experience in this department."

We had already had the whole girlfriend talk last night and although my aunt and uncle were thrilled that I finally was venturing out into the world of dating, they expressed their concern over making such a move with someone I had only known a few days.

Jake leans against the opposite side of the island and digs into his own omelet, "You act like yourself Bella. There's no reason to suddenly treat her any differently than if she was just a friend. It's not rocket science Bells."

"Yeah, rocket science is a helluva lot easier," I scoff. Jake snorts, Jasper just laughs.

"Unfortunately dear," Leah's voice leads her into the kitchen, "There is no manual when it comes to dating. I'm sure there are a lot of books out there that are supposed to be just that, but the people who wrote them of full of crap. When it comes to dating, you do what you and your partner are comfortable with, no more, no less. Sometimes it can take a while to figure out what you're both alright with, but that's one of the wonderful things about getting to know the person."

Jasper gazes at her wild-eyed, "Whoa Lee-Lee, you just sounded an awful lot like a responsible adult. You'd better knock that shit off asap, you're scaring us rebellious teens with all that crazy talk."

She rolls her eyes and lightly smacks the back of his head, "What are you two doing after school, besides striving to be the biggest delinquents in the history of Forks?"

Jasper rubs the back of his head, "When I end up with brain damage, you'll have no one to blame but yourself, you know. I'm not sure what I'm doing after school, too many hits to the head, but I think we're supposed to go to Sam's for practice today."

"Supposed to?" I ask, suddenly irritated, "Is that bastard going to cancel again? I swear I'm going to kick his ass if he ditches us one more time. We can't have a drummer that is unreliable like this, it's cost us too many gigs Jazz."

Jake and Leah bob their heads in agreement. "Maybe you should start thinking about replacing him," Jake advises, "The rest of you have worked too damn hard to let him ruin everything just as you are beginning to make a name for yourselves."

Jasper's loyalty to his friend forces him to defend Sam, "I can't just kick him out, he's an original member. It's just with him and Emily getting engaged and moving in together, he hasn't had a lot of spare time to practice."

"I don't know how you can expect me to have much sympathy for him now," I argue," He was a real dick with me after I broke my thumb and couldn't play. I'm not saying to kick him out, but maybe put his ass on probation, like he suggested for me when I couldn't keep up with his expectations over the summer."

Leah gazes at her nephew, "That actually sounds quite fair Jasper. I know, it shocks the hell out of me too that it's coming from Bella, but I think you should still take it under consideration. Bella is an original member too and her opinion counts just as much as yours."

"Just give me the day to think about it baby girl," Jasper pleads, his mercury eyes begging.

I search his face until I see that he truly is considering my idea. "Fine," I eventually concede, "But from now on, us original members have an equal say in shit that goes on with the band--"

My brothe cuts me off, "Of course! Bella I never--" he trails off as I put my hand up.

"I wasn't finished BB," I snap," The other condition to all of this is that you no longer make the final decision. It will be put to a vote with the band from now on. From here on out, it's a democracy or I'm out. I'm tired of not having a say in things like when and where we play or how much our share is. I know Ben will agree if you ask him, and I'm positive that you and Sam would look awfully funny without a bass player and keyboardist."

"I already said okay Bella," he whines, "No need to get all Bitcherella on me. You done?" He points to my plate.

I hand it to him and get to my feet, "Thanks. I'm going to put Seth outside and then I've got to get to school. I want to cram for that History test some more."

Leah waves me away as I call for my pup, "He's fine Bella. I'll be home most of the morning so he can stay in here with me. I'll put him out before I go into the office for the afternoon."

I give her a kiss on the cheek," Thanks Lee-Lee. Love you!" I finish as I open the door leading to the garage.

"Love you too Bells! No fights!" she calls back.

I toss my bag in the car as Jake and Jasper come out, taking shots at each other. Jake swings me up in his arms and gives me a hug, "Love you sweetheart. Please try to stay out of trouble and good luck with Victoria. I hope you realize that Leah and I want to meet her soon?"

I wriggle out of his arms, mainly because he lets me, but that's beside the point, "Sure, sure Jake, just let her and I get to know each other better and see where this is going to go before I bring her home for you guys to horribly scar for the rest of her life."

He snickers and holds the car door open for me."We're just curious to see who could possibly get your attention like this. I haven't seen you this happy about being close to someone since--"

"Yeah, I know Jake," I interrupt him as I put the keys in the ignition, "Now I don't mean to be a pain, but I really do have to go. Victoria's meeting me at school to help me study before school. I love you, but get the hell out of the way if you don't want to become a speed bump."

He swings the door closed, "Your aunt would kill you if you ruined that car by hitting me. Go on then lover-girl, enjoy 'studying'," he emphasizes the word by waggling his eyebrows.

I shake my head and back the Supra out slowly. Jasper is already waiting for me at the end of the driveway, ready to start our morning race.

My speedometer reads 120 mph when Jasper and I spot a silver Volvo heading in our direction. Luckily I manage to pull ahead of my brother's Mustang just enough to swerve back into the right lane right before we collide. I start laughing like a maniac after making sure that the driver didn't crash. I sense that damn current across my skin for a few moments, but ignore it as I push my baby ever faster.

Jasper takes a short cut four blocks from the school and is just getting out of his car when I park beside him. "A little slow this morning baby girl, got a certain redhead on the brain?" he taunts as he lifts himself onto the trunk of his car and reclines against the back windshield.

Before I can do more than give him the middle finger, that certain redhead pulls in, her navy blue Subaru Outback Sport coming to a stop alongside my vehicle. I scurry over and open the door for her, extending my hand as she turns to see who's disturbed her.

She smiles and takes my hand, allowing me to pull her to her feet. "Happy to see me?" she playfully inquires as I wind my arms around her waist and cover her neck with soft kisses.

"Of course I missed you," I mumble against her skin as my lips trace her jawline, "You are infinitely more fun to be around than watching my brother and his girlfriend make out while I had to re-string my guitar."

Victoria blushes but leans into my ministrations, "Well maybe next time you'll be too occupied to notice them. Oh crap, we're being stared at Bella."

I kiss her gently and turn around to see Mike Newton and Jessica Stanley, their mouths agape. I drop one arm from Victoria's waist and begin pulling her towards the school. "Watch this shit," I mutter to her as we walk.

While passing Newton and Stanley I wink at them, "What? Never seen two women kiss before? Just Google that shit instead of popping a boner in the middle of the parking lot."

Jessica sputters and Mike simply nods dumbly, causing both of us to break out into a fit of laughter as we climb the stairs. We find an empty picnic table and grab a dry seat.

"You are evil Bella Swan," Victoria accuses while we get our History books out, "Is this going to be a habit?"

I wink at her and grin mischievously, "Most definitely, my dear Victoria, so you might want to get used to it."

We go over our papers in silence for a while, ignoring the stares aimed in our direction. Upon trading notes, I catch something that piques my interest. "Tori Wenham, huh? You should have told me that you prefer Tori instead of Victoria. I prefer Bella over Isabella so I understand."

She flips her long locks over her shoulder and smirks at me, "I like the way you say my name, that's all. You can call me whatever you want though, it doesn't matter to me, I'll answer to both just as easily."

I lean over and kiss her cheek, "As you wish Tori.. Can I ask you a question?"

She tilts her head and smiles, "You can ask me anything."

Suddenly I feel nervous, "Um, well, the band I'm in, we have practice after school today and I was wondering..if maybe..you'd like to, um, come watch us?" I look at her, uncertainty marring my face despite my best efforts to keep it smooth.

Victoria giggles, "Are you asking me to come watch your band practice?"

I nod once, "Yeah, I guess I am. What do you say?" Please, oh please, don't laugh at me for being so fucking juvenile. I will crawl in a hole and die.

Her smile fades and is replaced by one of sadness. "I can't tonight, I have to work. I'm really sorry Bella," she explains, "But I'm off on Thursday and Friday, if you have practice either night, I'd love to come."

I nudge her, "Come on, live a little. Call off, just this once. I'll make it worth all the trouble."

She pretends to think about it before shaking her head, "I can't, honestly. If I did, my boss would make me work all weekend."

I jut out my bottom lip, pouting, but she only kisses it and laughs, "Wow, Bella Swan pouting. I never thought I'd see that."

I shrug and wink at her, "I'm just full of surprises."

Jasper, Alice, Emmett and Rosalie come out of nowhere and sit down at the table, grumbling their good mornings as they too pull out homework to look over.

"So how are the lovebirds doing this fine morning?" Emmett taunts, immediately earning a glare from his wife.

"I swear to god Em, if you don't leave them alone, you won't get any for two weeks," Rosalie threatens, her blue-violet eyes flashing.

Victoria, on the other hand, is taken aback over my friends easy acceptance of our relationship, but makes a bold move. "It's alright. It's not the caveman's fault that his brain hasn't evolved past fart jokes," she teases back and is answered by a cacophony of laughter.

"Okay, you can keep her," Alice surmises, still chuckling, "She's funny." She turns and levels her blue-green orbs at my girlfriend's form, "So are you coming to watch the band practice tonight after school? We'd love to have you."

Victoria shakes her head no, a small frown marring her beautiful face, "I wish I could, but I have to work tonight. I promise I'll come another night, I'll even bring food to make up for missing tonight."

At the word food, Jasper and Emmett's head pop up, "Food? You cook?"

She blushes and nods, "I'm an only child and both of my parents work full time. If I hadn't learned how to cook, I'd have starved to death already."

Alice nods thoughtfully, "Yeah, that's why we keep Bella and Jazz around. Bella could out-cook Emeril and Jazz at least doesn't burn water. Well, not any more, at least. Bella wrangled him into being her cooking assistant after a friend of ours moved. They were her original helper."

Victoria's eyes flicker to me briefly, knowing of whom Alice is speaking of. She doesn't seem surprised that his name is not spoken around me. After so long of avoiding his name, it's become second nature for my friends not to say it.

Emmett changes the subject in typical Emmett fashion, "You know, I think your admirers are wondering when the girl on girl action is going to break out you two. And here I thought that only the arrival of new students created this kind of buzz. Sure you don't want to help them Rosie?" She answers by smacking him on the back of the head and scowling.

The first bell rings and we pack our bags up before migrating as a group towards the school. Ben and Angela meet us along the way, their only response to seeing Victoria's hand in mine being a quick wide-eyed look that is soon followed by large grins and approving nods.

If only the response from the students filling the halls were as subtle. People joke around about being able to stop traffic, but it's a whole different feeling when you actually do it. The looks we were getting ranged from pure shock to outright lust to outraged disgust. I refused to bow my head and be ashamed of my choice. I glimpse over at Victoria to see her head held high and her delicate jaw set in determination.

I lean over and plant a kiss on her jaw and it instantly relaxes. A tiny smile plays at her mouth as she whispers, "Thank you. I needed that."

I raise our joined hands and press my lips against her knuckles, "Not a problem baby, I'm not ashamed of you, not for one minute."

She beams at me, "Neither am I. I promise."

Our little groups fractures off as we make our way to class. It's down to Emmett, Victoria, and I when we reach my class. "This is my stop darling," I pull her face to mine and give her a deep kiss. Emmett's guffaw's eventually make us part. I glare at him briefly before planting one last kiss on her swollen lips, "I'll see you at lunch."

"I know where you guys sit so I'll find you, okay? My Art class has a tendency to run a little late," she asks, looking a little uncertain.

"That's fine Tori," I reply as the second bell rings, "Now get your ass to class before I drag you out to my car and take you back to my place to do unspeakable things to you."

She gets a thoughtful look on her face and taps her chin with her forefinger, "Ooh, the possibilities..."

I roll my eyes, "What will your parents do if you end up with detention for skipping class?"

She nods, "Good point. See you at lunch." I can't help but appreciate her lithe, nearly 6 foot tall frame as she saunters down the hall. Visions of her in a black leather boustier and matching thigh high leather stiletto boots flit through my head. What would he think of my new fantasy? Would he approve, like a typical guy?

I shake my head to clear the image away as I enter the classroom. I am met with a wall of curious eyes. Wonderful. I've just become the freakshow. Today is going to be insane.

No sooner than I reach my seat at the back of the class and sit down, I hear dozens of clicking sounds as my fellow students begin texting their friends in a frenzy. Fucking infants. I put an earbud in and hit play. Buckcherry's 'Crazy Bitch' starts blaring in my ear as the teacher calls the students to order.

Halfway through class, I feel eyes burning into me so I look up, a hostile mask on my face. Lauren Mallory is glaring at me, disgust and manevolence rolling off of her in waves. "Why are you bothering me?" I sneer, keeping my voice low.

"You know, queers and dykes all end up in hell Swan, homosexuality is a sin," she spits, her bleach blond hair bobbing with every word.

I give her a smile so big that it makes my face hurt, "You have to believe in that shit first Lauren, but since we're on the subject of sin, you do realize that liars and whores go to hell also? So if that is where I happen to end up, I know I'll at least have you to keep me company. Now shut the fuck up and turn around before I rub some of my dyke germs on you."

Her features shift into a look of horror and she spins around in her seat, her blonde hair flowing out behind her. I clench my hands into fists and resist the urge to rip it out as I brush it off of my desk.

By the time lunch finally arrives, I'm ready to scream and beat my head off of the lockers. Between the looks and the snickering, a firing squad would have bothered me less. I feel like a shiny new toy that a bunch of kindergartners are bickering over. I hope Victoria has had an easier time.

"Why so glum baby girl? The idiocy of the masses getting to you?" Jasper's voice is barely a whisper at my ear as we plod through the lunch line.

I shrug and grab two pieces of pizza, "I'm just annoyed and I don't want to fucking be here today. How the hell do you and Alice manage a relationship with the vultures constantly hovering?"

He kisses my cheek, "A lot of patience and constantly reminding ourselves that it is illegal to kill people simply for being stupid."

"It's only illegal if you get caught BB," I correct him as we pay for our food and navigate our way to where our friends are already seated.

I grab a spot near the end and drop my tray. "Hello maniacs, who are we having for lunch today?"

" I think a few freshmen became the lucky ingredients today. Where's Victoria?" Rosalie asks, stabbing at her salad. Everyone looks to me, expectant.

I open my lemonade and take a sip, "She said she'd meet me here. Her Art class usually runs a little late."

Ben and Angela arrive and take the last two empty chairs. I can't bring myself to bitch because they've been with the group longer. I tune out the conversation about tonight's practice and scan the lunchroom for what is rapidly becoming my favorite color hair.

My second skimming of the crowd I find that ginger hair bobbing over most of the crowd and get to my feet. She has an annoyed look on her ivory features until her eyes meet mine, then her scowl melts into a bright smile. I match her delighted grin and wave her over. I quickly grab an empty chair from the table behind us and scoot it next to mine, ignoring the complaints from the kids at the other table.

"Excited much Bella?" Alice mumbles between bites of her turkey sandwich. I give her the middle finger just as Victoria makes it to our table.

"What was that about?" she inquires as I gesture to the chair beside mine.

I sit down beside her and push the tray of food between us, "Alice was once again proving that the most annoying things come in small packages, that's all. How was class?"

She makes a face and takes a piece of pizza, "Boring. Thanks for saving me from the lunch line, by the way. We had a substitute teacher who knew absolutely nothing about what we were working on and didn't remember that she had to give us our homework assignments until about thirty seconds before the bell rang."

Jasper chuckles, "Yeah, Miss Wench or Wentz or whatever the hell her name is. She, I believe, is one of the prime reasons a word like bimbo exists in the English language. I had to deal with her first period and let me tell you, that was not a pleasant experience. Scott Townsend wanted to stuff her in one of the kilns."

Ben smirks at him, "I bet you didn't disagree with him."

Jasper chuckles, unrepentant, "I was thinking of ways to help him. I think she was hired purely for the size of her tits. I mean they were porn star sized," he demonstrates by cupping his hands out about a foot from is chest.

I lean over to Victoria, "Is she really that dumb?" I ask as I tuck a rogue curl behind her ear.

She nods sadly and pats my leg, "Put it this way, Jessica Stanley is a brain surgeon, no a reincarnation of Einstein, in comparison to this lady."

I sit back, awed and a little frightened. "You have to be shitting me. No one is that stupid."

Jasper and her look to one another, then to me. "I'm afraid so honey. Just be glad that you don't have to be subjected to it, you're IQ might drop a few points if you were," she explains while my brother bobs his head in agreement.

"That is seriously fucked up," I surmise as I finish my pizza.

We sit and laugh about the new flood of rumors that have cropped up since Victoria and my semi-subtle debut as a couple this morning. I tell them about Lauren Mallory's remarks on sin during English class, earning a new round of guffaws from my friends.

After Victoria is done eating, I take her by the hand and drag her outside with me, hoping to get a little time with her sans gawking teenagers. She must have been hoping for the same thing because she takes the lead and soon we're climbing into my car. As the echoes of the doors slamming shut fade, our mouths are already moving in sync and our hands eagerly roaming each others bodies. One of my hands finds its way down the front of her jeans, zeroes in on her sensitive nub, and begins rubbing furiously. One of her hands mimics my actions and we moans into each others mouths as our kiss becomes more frantic. I shift my hand down and plunge two fingers into her hot, dripping core. She responds in kind and begins rapidly moving her hand in rhythm with mine. In no time at all, I feel the tension building inside of me and I whimper into Victoria's lips, finding my release just as I feel her muscles clench down on my fingers.

As our breathing returns to normal and our kisses become languid and tender, I brush a few stray golden locks away from her face. "Feel better now?" I ask in between kisses.

"Hhmm, for now," Victoria hums against my lips, "But I might need a reminder later on." Then she giggles.

"What are you laughing at?" I'm a little stunned by her sudden amusement.

She gives me a peck on the tip of my nose, "Not you silly. We steamed up the windows."

Our laughter is cut short by a tapping on the window. I roll it down to have Mr. Greene's head poke in, his nostrils flaring. "And what are you young ladies doing?" he sneers.

_He thinks we're in here smoking pot._

If only.

_He probably wanted to catch the new lesbian couple screwing._

A few minutes earlier and he would have.

_Duh._

Shut up.

"Nothing but talking Mr. Greene," I confess semi-honestly to the bald headed bastard poking his head into my car, feeling Victoria's hand slip into mine as I talk, "It's just difficult dealing with all of the teenage boys who like to follow us around, hoping we will kiss, so we came here to talk."

His gaze shifts back and forth between us a few times before exhaling loudly, "Alright then, just be mindful of the bell for class."

We both nod vehemently. "Yes sir!"

Just then, as to prove a point, the bell rings. We scramble out of the Supra, giggling as we grab our bags and race towards the school.

We discover that we have class on the opposite ends of campus and part with a heated but short kiss before heading off in the direction of our classes. Biology is the farthest thing from my mind as I take my seat. I've already accepted the fact that the relationship between Victoria and I is a highly physical one, but it doesn't deter me from the fact that I liked seeing her smile nearly as much as I enjoyed watching her head fall back with rapture.

This shit is getting complicated real fucking fast.

_Well, you're the asshole that wanted to do this._

I have to try and move on. He's not coming back.

_By throwing yourself at a woman? Like I didn't notice that you're still clinging to your promise._

At least I've done something!

_What would he think if he saw you like this, drowning yourself in a woman's arms? What if he really has waited for you__?_

He said that he wanted me to be happy.

_But the question is, are you happy or are you deluding yourself?_

I don't fucking know.

_At least you're honest about that._

Leave me alone.

_Yeah, because everything in your life is that fucking easy to fix._

Fuck off.

I fold my arms on the lab table and drop my head against them, the guilt washing over me and threatening to pull me under. Why can't I be happy? He wanted me to be happy, to live my life as if he had never existed, and for the first time since he was cut out of my life, I feel like I was making real progress. If that's a good thing, why in the hell do I feel so guilty about it? The answer is quick and to the point.

_Because he is your kismet and you will never love another like you do him._

But that future is gone now and I have to make a new one for myself.

_Then do one simple thing to prove that you have a destiny that doesn't involve him._

What's that?

_Say his name. Out loud._

I try shaping my mouth to form the first syllable, but it rebels against my greatest efforts. I keep my face buried in my arms so that the people around me can't see the strange grimaces on my face as I attempt to force it out of me. but the exercise is futile, I can't even conjure it in my head, doing it physically is impossible. Finally I surrender.

I can't do it.

_Point __proven__. Now enjoy her for now, but remember your kismet._

I blow out the breath that I'd been unconsciously holding and sit upright, relieved to have come to a decision, of a sort. I may not know what the hell I'm doing, but I'm going to enjoy it while I have it. He would never begrudge me any sliver of happiness that I could find in his absence. No more guilt over having these blooming feelings for Victoria. Like she had said, it's not like we're talking about forever here. Fuck it, living for the moment has served me well the past couple of days and who am I to mess shit up by changing things?

Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is never coming, not yet at least. For once, I'm simply going to have fun while I wait for destiny to catch up with me. It's not like there is anything in the rules stating that I can't try and enjoy life until we find one another again.

_Good plan, now shut the hell up and start living already you __Emo__ bitch!_

Bite me.

By the time school is over, I feel much better. Lighter somehow. The acceptance that I could have this bit of happiness and not abandon my future with him is another shackle removed from me. Thank you boring ass Biology. I can't even be bothered to try and wipe the smile off of my face when an idiot sophomore cuts me off in the parking lot. I most likely would have if his rust bucket F-150 had hit my baby, but I wasn't in the mood to test that theory. Not today, and definitely not while I was still riding on the euphoria caused by my revelation.

I stop at the house to get the barbecue Lil' Smokies, buffalo chicken dip, and tortilla chips that were mine and Jasper's contributions to the band's munchie fund tonight. I didn't have the energy to make anything more creative the night before after catching up on the homework that I'd ignored all weekend. Seth is boucning like a fiend so after putting the food and my bass guitar in the trunk, I put him on his leash and guide him into the car. After rolling the passenger side window down so my stupid pup can stick his head out, I head down the road to Sam's place.

It's funny that Jasper and I have always called it Sam's place even though he just bought the house from his dad, Jared, over the summer after graduating. The familiar vibes of the old house stretched all the way back to my childhood, Sam's house was always filled with people growing up. Jared was a member of the tribal council that traditionally governed the Quileutes and that was always made more complicated by the daycare center that Kim, Sam's mom, ran out of their home. When she died in February, car accident, we knew that Jared wouldn't stay there much longer and it was no surprise that he offered to sell it to his son.

We have taken turns hosting our band's practices since it's inception a little over a year ago. In recent months, Sam has been increasingly cancelling when it's been his turn. We always thought that it was because he was getting to serious with Emily that he didn't want us to burst his bubble, but as the Supra rolls to a stop in front of his house, I realize how wrong we were. My irritation at him this morning fades away as I take in the renovations Sam has accomplished.

The house, always small, now sported a newly built addition off of the living room. The entire structure has had new siding put on, a pale blue. The roof's been reshingled along with the two car garage. The front porch has been given a fresh coat of white paint and a bed of brightly colored flowers surrounds it. Damn, Sam's done good for himself, especially for only being nineteen.

I let Seth out of the car and he bolts around the side of the house as I retrieve the food and instrument. I can hear Sam's epithets of condemnation, aimed at my dog no doubt, loud and clear as I enter the house and make a bee line for the kitchen. As I enter, I'm accosted by a plethora of mouthwatering aromas and spot Emily, humming along with the radio and stirring something in a large skillet.

I set the food on the table and my bass on the floor and sneak up behind her to grab her side. She drops the spatula with a jump and lets out a shriek that would make your hair stand on end. "Hiya Emmy," I greet her in my most innocent voice.

She smacks my arm, "Bella! You are so mean sometimes," she yells, "You scared the bejesus out of me!"

I chuckle as I rinse the spatula and hand it back to her, "Well, it's a good thing I did scare him out of you because Sam would be pissed if he ever found out you were letting another man inside of you."

"He's out back, by the way," she informs me, "Maybe I should call him in here to smack you around a little."

I steal a pretzel from a bowl that's already set out, "Sorry babe, he's kind of busy being humped by Seth right now."

She rolls her dark eyes, but can't suppress a grin, "I can't believe you brought the pup. Not planning on getting anything constructive done tonight then?"

"He's been lonely since me and Jazz went back to school," I explain, "And with Jake and Leah working so much, there has been no one home to spend any time with him. If he's any trouble, I'll just tie him up behind the garage. Promise."

Emily just laughs, "I'm sure he'll be just fine once he settles down. No worries Bells. Oh, Jasper's here," she finishes as we both hear the roar of his Mustang coming down the lane. This is confirmed by Seth's yaps of greeting.

"Down you flea-bitten mongrel!" I hear Alice squeal, "Jasper, save me from your sister's damn dog!"

"That's my cue," I wink at Emily and slip out the back door, whistling for Seth. He's bouncing alongside Alice, who is holding a glass cake pan over her head. She must have made her peanut butter and chocolate chip brownies, he loves those things. "Seth! Come here boy! Leave Ali alone bud, you've scared her enough for one day." All he would need to do his stand on his hind legs and he would be as tall as my brother, but I think the pixie has forgotten that.

Seth trots over to me as I step off of the porch, smugness radiating off of him that he's managed to rile up the tiny woman once again. I think that scaring Alice is one of my dog's favorite pastimes, after taking people for walks and frolicking on the beach. I scratch behind his ears and his tongue rolls out of the side of his mouth as he pushes his head further into my hand. "He didn't bother you too much, I hope, did he Ali?"

She grimaces but shakes her head, "No, he startled me more than anything. I didn't expect you to bring him, that's all. Emmett and Rosalie might be joining us tonight, is that okay?"

"It's fine with me," I admit, "but aren't they going to get bored pixie? Not everyone has the same enthusiasm about watching us practice as you do."

She smirks, "Yeah, well not everyone gets to be the manager for the coolest band in Washington state either but I know they'll love it." We had made Alice our manager because she really wanted to help us get out and make a name for ourselves. She's never let us forget that. I'm so glad she's turned out to be an amazing manager.

"Laying it on a little thick now, aren't we darlin'?" Jasper asks as he swaggers over and winds his arms around his girlfriends tiny waist.

"I just call it as I see it cowboy," Alice chortles, flicking his beat up cowboy hat, "Ben and Angela are showing them the way here because Ben had to stop and get his sheet music." He responds by nuzzling her neck.

"Alrighty then, I'm going to start setting shit up in the garage so we can get started as soon as Ben gets here," I inform them and make myself scarce before either of them can answer.

After getting the amps out of the Mustangs trunk and hauling them in through the open garage door, I see Ben's old grey El Camino rumbling up, followed by Rosalie's red convertible. Angela hops out of Ben's car just as the wheels stop, "Bella! Need some help?"

I nod my head yes after placing a smaller amp on top of a bigger one, "My bass is in the kitchen if you would be willing to go and get it for me. Watch out though, Seth is determined to find someone to play with him."

She laughs lightly, "Oh, he just gets excited to see everyone Bella, it's not so bad." With that she dances up the stairs and into the house.

I turn around to see Ben, Emmett, and Rosalie have made their way over to Sam, who has grabbed a lawn chair and is now sitting in the shade behind the garage, and are now engrossed in conversation with him. Good, at least they're making friends, that should make everything easier on them after going through so much.

Once practice rolls around, everyone not playing takes their seats in and around the space. We warm up with a few songs that would probably make people laugh, but they've always helped us fing our groove. Not like it matters much, we pay a lot of covers in the first place because playing requests garners a lot of attention. Sam and Jasper are always pushing for us to play our own compositions, so we make room at the send of every session for anyone to play something new.  
When Jasper, Sam, and Ben get into an argument over switching a few songs in our set out for new ones, I simply pack my bass away and walk it out to the car because the rest of practice is shot to hell once the bitching starts. After saying my goodbyes, I ask Emmet and Rosalie, who have followed me out, if they need shown the way back to the main road. They admit that they do and I inform them that I'm leaving presently, if they want to go home now. I wait for them to get in their car before peeling out of the driveway.

It's not a difficult route and once we reach the road leading back to Forks , I wave to them as I turn around and drive home, speakers blaring 'It's the End of the World As We Know It' from R.E.M.

**I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed, added to ****fav's****, or simply just read this story so far. You guys rock!**

**But now it's time for you to show your appreciation by reviewing!**

**In the immortal words of my friend M....**

**REVIEW OR DIE!**


	6. Chapter 5 Secret Admirer

**Nope, everything copyrighted still belongs to their original owners...**

**A/N: The first poem sent to Bella is called There Is a Beauty in the Color Brown by Nicholas Gordon. The second is from John Keats. The third one is As I Sit Here from Aestis.**

**A/N #2: **

**While I have your attention, go check out a few people's stories when you're done here, these author's are in my fav's/**

**First is my buddy, M Wilridge-After Dawn. Hit the homepage thingie one his profile and it will take you to fiction press and he has two other stories there--Angel Lies and The Actor...they are fucking awesome**

**Next is my new friend, wendybaliles-I Know..the story is fucking great and she definitely knows how to dement and twist the Twilight story in all new ways!**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 5**

**Secret Admirer**

**~Bella~**

After hauling my bass and amp up to my bedroom, I notice that I'd left my phone on my vanity when I went to practice and there is a new text message. I flip it open and read.

_There is a beauty in the color brown_

_Which brings to mind the muted light of caring._

_Earth tones: roots, ground leafmeal, seeds, and soil;_

_Nuts and bark, broad rivers thick with toil;_

_Tree trunks in a clearing, nothing wearing,_

_Yet holding high their single woven crown._

_For me brown brings to mind your caring eyes,_

_Innocent and gentle as a doe's._

_Vested in your love, my own love grows;_

_Each thought, each hope, each breath within you lies._

I look for the sender, but the number is blocked. That's odd. Maybe it's Victoria on someone's cell. I save the message and scurry down to the kitchen to make dinner. I spot a dark blue crystal vase filled with assorted flowers sitting on the granite counter. A little note peeks out from amongst the blooms. I snag it and open the little envelope, eager to see what Jake wrote to Leah. It can't be that bad if she left it out. The words are typed. No big surprise there, Jake only does chicken scratch. I wonder what he did to get in trouble this time.

_To My Beloved,_

_The white carnation is for remembrance. I remember how wonderful it is to be in your embrace._

_Forget-Me-Not's explain themselves. I hope I am on your mind as often as you are on mine._

_The Hibiscus represents delicate beauty. You are so strong inside that people forget you wear your heart on your sleeve._

_Sunflowers are a pale representation of the adoration I have for the most beautiful woman in the world. You._

_Larkspur shows how beautiful of a spirit that you possess. I've never encountered another like it. That's a good thing._

_A red rose signifies my passionate love for you. I will never love another as I love you._

_And finally there is the yellow tulip simply to remind you just how hopelessly in love I still am with you after all this time._

_Words utterly fail me when it comes to describing what you mean to me so instead,_

_ I hope these these meager tokens of my undying love for you brighten your day._

How sweet is that! Jake's definitely getting some tonight! I slip the card in its envelope and return it to the vase. Leah is so lucky to have a guy who isn't afraid to show her affection.

I shake myself out of my romantic musings and gather the ingredients to make burritos, I'm not in the mood to make anything more fancy. It's not like anyone will complain, they'll be thrilled that they don't have to cook.

By the time Jasper and Alice plod in, I'm dancing to a song on the radio that I would normally avoid like the plague, 'Womanizer' from Britney Spears, but I'm in such a good mood today that I don't give a shit. I grab Alice's hand and pull her into the dance with me. She giggles and falls into sync with me as Jasper rolls his eyes and takes over dinner duty. When the song is over, we flit through the kitchen, chattering happily while we finish dinner and setting the table.

Two days later, I'm sitting in my room doing homework after practice and I receive a second text from the blocked number.

_I have been astonished that men could die martyrs for their religion - _

_I have shudder'd at it. _

_I shudder no more. _

_I could be martyr'd for my religion _

_Love is my religion _

_And I could die for that. _

_I could die for you. _

Love? There's no way in hell that this can be from Victoria. She's been spending time with that James guy when she's not with me. It's not like I have a problem with that, as much as I like her, she deserves someone who is able to love her the way she deserves. Her and I had talked at some length after my little epiphany about simply enjoying life as it comes. It was me, after all, that had convinced her to accept James' offer to to go Seattle this weekend for a concert. Yeah, I encouraged the girl I had been dating for a single fucking week to go out to a concert with someone else, and a guy at that. Gotta live life to the fullest while you have the chance, remember? Carpe Diem and all that shit?

Besides, as much fun as we had been having behind closed doors didn't change the fact that I rapidly came to the understanding that we were better friends than anything. It sucks, but at least I discovered it sooner rather than later. I also believe that this burgeoning relationship with James could be the real deal for Victoria, the way she gushes about him. I'm going to have to talk to her about that soon, to clear the way for James. He seems like a decent enough guy, from what she's told me.

Oh hell, I wonder if she sent it to the wrong phone. Maybe it was meant for James, they've been getting along so well that it wouldn't surprise me if it was. I laugh inwardly at the thought and get back to my work after saving the message. It's too beautiful to delete right away.

Saturday night I decide to stay home while Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie go out on a double date. Victoria went to some concert with James and I didn't feel like being a third wheel in either case. Unfortunately during the movie we are watching in the living room, Jake and Leah are getting all touchy-feely so I get Seth and take him down to the beach because as much as I love my aunt and uncle, it's still really gross to think of them like _that_.

As we walk south, out of the privacy bubble that comes with owning part of the beach, I see others traversing the shore. A few people I recognize wave and greet us as we trod along, some even giving Seth a pat as they go by. Soon though, the sun is setting on the horizon and I lead Seth back to our part of the beach and set him loose to be silly, then find a rock to perch on.

While watching my dog be a happy imbecile, my phones alerts me to a new text. This one is also from the blocked number. I am thoroughly convinced now that I'm getting texts that are intended for someone else, but I can't help but read it. This one says:

_As I sit here on the beach _

_My normal life seems so out of reach. _

_The waves are hitting the sand_

_I just wish you were here to hold my hand._

_I know you are far away _

_Here I could never stay. _

_You are who I am missing _

_Right now I wish you and I were kissing._

_As I sit here putting seashells in a jar _

_I know when no one else is there for me, you are._

_I know in my heart _

_That I never want us to part._

_When everything seems so out of line _

_It all changes when I see you - everything's fine._

_As I sit here I know my love is yours forever _

_And I don't want our hearts to sever._

Holy shit! Of all the places to talk about right now, it had to be sitting on the beach. What a fucking coincidence. It's time to let this hopeless romantic know that their messages aren't going to the right girl before something bad happens.

I send a simple message.

_I'm sorry, but I think you got my number mixed up with your girlfriend's._

It only takes a minute for them to answer.

_There was no mix-up Isabella. Every word was meant for you._

What?! No fucking way! I fire off another text.

_I have no clue who you are and that's kind of creepy._

Watch them backtrack now.

_It was never my intent to frighten you, I apologize._

Crap.

_Does that mean you're going to tell me who you are?_

It can't hurt to ask.

_I'm sorry, but I can't do that yet, but soon. I promise._

What's the big deal? Afraid of getting your ass kicked?

_Why soon instead of now?_

If you've got the balls to send me poetry, you can at least give me a name.

_Because I must stay hidden, but that won't last much longer whether I need to or not._

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

_And why is that, mystery person?_

Person. Ha!

_Because soon I will no longer have the strength to stay away from you._

Fuck. Stalker type. That shit doesn't fly with me.

_Maybe you should just stay away then, I don't do stalkers._

It's the last message that pierces my heart.

_As You Wish Isabella. Be happy. Be safe._

As You Wish Isabella.

Be happy.

Be safe.

Oh shit.

"Edward," I gasp as his name breaks through every wall I had struggled to build around him and everything surrounding him. My fingers tremble as I type each letter. Please don't let this be a cruel joke. Not now. My eyes begin to sting, tears threatening to overflow.

_Is that really you?_

I light a cigarette, never taking my eyes off of the little screen. It seems to take forever before I get an answer.

_I can't give you an answer to that right now love._

It's him! It has to be! He's the only one who ever called me that! Why can't he tell me? Is he in trouble with Masen? I impatiently swipe at the tears that have begun to run freely down my cheeks. I don't have time to cry.

_Are you in trouble? Are you worried that bastard will catch you?_

Please let him be okay.

_I have to go Isabella. Please keep this to yourself._

A sob rips out of my chest, it's like losing him all over again. It has to be Edward, nothing else could hurt like this.

_No! Please don't go without giving me a clue!_

The response is heartbreaking.

_I'm sorry, I can't. Forgive me._

I takes all of my self control to not hurl the phone into the blackened ocean. This can't be happening. Wait a damn minute! He didn't answer when I asked him about Masen catching him! That has to be the reason he was being so cryptic. I go through each message, re-reading them in an attempt to decipher anything that might be hidden there.

He said that he has to stay hidden for now, but not for much longer. That soon he won't have the strength to stay away from me. Does that mean he's found a way to come home? Can this really be happening? Then dark thoughts invade my mind, tearing at the old wound in my heart.

What if it's not Edward? He's not the only person to ever write or send you poetry.

Am I only seeing what I want to see because I still feel some guilt over liking Victoria?

What if it's actually that bastard, Demetri, that attacked me in the bathroom during Alice's party?

Doubt begins to pick at my conviction as I get to my feet and call for Seth. The sudden need to be indoors is too powerful to ignore so I hurry home, Seth on my heels.

I don't bother putting Seth in his kennel as I reach the house, I just barrel through the back door and set the alarm before resting my head against the door frame. I never realized how frightened I'd been of Demetri until now.

Calm down Bella, the boys took care of that asshole. He'll never bother you again.

"Bella? Is everything okay?" Jake asks as he pads barefoot across the hardwood to me. "You look like you've seen a ghost sweetheart."

What am I going to say? That I may or may not have a stalker who could be some asshole that tried to rape me at a party full of underage drunks? Or that Edward might be coming back home to Forks? That he could be sneaking around Masen to warn me that he's coming?

How about option C? Lie your ass off. I've got no other choice until I can figure out that the hell is going on.

I get my breathing under control before answering. "It's nothing Jake. I didn't realize how dark it was until I started walking back and got a little spooked, that's all. Happens every new moon, you know that, no biggie." I push away from the frame and give him my best smile as he pulls me into a hug. "I'm fine, really," I reassure my uncle." I'm just a little tired. I'm going to go up and soak in the tub for a bit then head to bed."

His dark eyes look into my own for a minute, unconvinced with my ruse, but he nods and lets me go. "Okay honey. If you need to talk, you know where to find me."

I bob my head once and start for the stairs, "Of course I do, getting busy with my aunt unless you do something stupid to screw it up, like taking too long to get back to her."

I hear his laughter float up after me as I reach the top step. I head into the bathroom to run my bath while trying to shake off that last tendrils of fear that clung to me.

I make sure to get my phone's charger and plug it in to the outlet by the sink, just in case it is Edward and he tries to reach me again tonight. I also put my iPod in its dock and turn on some music so Jake and Leah won't hear if he calls.

Part of my mind is rejecting the idea that the mysterious texter could be Edward, and that, in all honesty, I'm just deluding myself, but the fifteen year old hopeless romantic won't let it go. For some reason, after all of these years, I'm listening to the hopeful, lovestruck girl instead of the cynic that I'd become. Why? Because just the thought of my kismet returning to me fills my darkened sky with the light of hope.

The bath ends up being less relaxing than I'd hoped since I ruined the serenity by checking my phone every few minutes to see if he's contacted me once more. I walk into my bedroom and toss on his X-Men shirt and a pair of yoga pants before gathering my iPod, phone, smokes, and my battered copy of Romeo and Juliet and sneaking up to the hidden room in the attic. It seems like the appropriate place to go tonight.

After dodging the low overhang, lighting one of Alice's incense, and getting myself settled in under a thick fleece blanket, I put my earbuds in and press play on my iPod beforeopening my book. Funny, the first song on my playlist is 'Come Undone' by Duran Duran.

**~Edward~**

_I'm sorry, but I think you got my number mixed up with your girlfriend's._

I read the text twice. I can't say that I'm surprised by her reaction. I should have resisted sending her the poem, but when I saw Seth playing down on the beach, I knew she was close. I had been sending them for a week now and gotten no response until tonight. It was now or never. I was going to find her tonight and tell her everything. Her message is easy to answer.

_There was no mix-up Isabella. Every word was meant for you._

That should give her an idea who it is unless more people have begun to call her by her full name since I've been gone, doubtful though. Her answer bothers me.

_I have no clue who you are and that's kind of creepy._

Shit, I'd better find her quick before she thinks she has a stalker. I jump off the picnic table and start down the path to the shore as I text her back. I have to find her soon.

_It was never my intent to frighten you, I apologize._

Suddenly my phone rings just as I reach the beach. Shit, could it be her? No, the number is blocked, Esme and Carlisle didn't want to take a chance of any of big Ed's friends finding James and I, especially with big Ed's mob connections. I flip the phone over and check the caller ID. Home. It has to be Esme, Carlisle's at the hospital tonight. I open the phone. "What's wrong mom?" Please let her just be checking up on me. A new messages beeps. I put the phone on speaker and check it.

_Does that mean you're going to tell me who you are?_

Dammit! I give the only answer I can right now.

_I'm sorry, but I can't do that yet, but soon. I promise._

"Edward, could you come home and take me to the hospital?" she asks, her voice slightly panicked, "I dropped a vase while dusting and cut my right foot open while cleaning it up. The bleeding won't stop and I can't drive myself because I've had a few glasses of wine besides cutting my driving foot."

The phone beeps again.

_Why soon instead of now?_

Fuck! She's never going to forgive me for this.

_Because I must stay hidden, but that won't last much longer whether I need to or not._

I turn around and jog back up the hill, "I'm getting in the car now, keep pressure on it and call Dad. I'll be there in five minutes. If the bleeding gets worse, call 911." I throw the car in drive and slam on the gas. I check her new message.

_Maybe you should just stay away then, I don't do stalkers._

Why now? Of all nights? I'm going to have to let her go for now, Esme's health is more important.

_As You Wish Isabella. Be happy. Be safe._

I hope that's enough even though I have no right to ask that of her. Not after this royal fuck up.

"Don't hang up on me, please Edward," Esme pleads, "I'll car Carlisle on my cell."

"I won't mom, just stay calm," I vow as the speedometer of my new Camaro SS passes 90 mph.

Her next message brings tears to my eyes.

_Is that really you?_

A heavy sigh escapes me. Yes, love, it's me! I yearn to tell her those words and soothe away all her fears.

"Are you alright Edward?" my mother inquires.

_I can't give you an answer to that right now love._

No mother, my kismet is freaking out because I can't tell her who I am. "I'm fine, just worried about you," I answer, keeping my voice as steady as I am able.

_Are you in trouble? Are you worried that bastard will catch you?_

I brush away the traitors tears that have welled up. I can't believe she's worried about that asshole. I see the obscured turn off to our driveway and slow down. "I'm almost there mom."

_I have to go Isabella. Please keep this to yourself._

I hate asking that, but I don't want to upset Jasper or their aunt and uncle if I can help it. I shouldn't have done this without having a solid plan in the first place. I hope I get a chance to explain it soon. I fly down the drive going a lot faster than normal. My phone beeps once again.

_No! Please don't go without giving me a clue!_

I can see the lights of the house and Esme standing out front, backlit by the buttery glow streaming out of the front door. "I can see you from here." I send her one last message.

_I'm sorry, I can't. Forgive me._

I close the phone and skid the car to a stop at the bottom of the steps. I don't bother closing the car door as I jump out and bound up to my frightened mother. I drop to my knees as soon as I reach her. "Let me see your foot." This had better be fucking worth turning my back on my kismet, again.

She rests a trembling hand on my shoulder to balance herself and lifts the foot wrapped in a dish towel. "It's pretty bad Edward. Carlisle's going to have a conniption fit, he loved that vase."

I roll my eyes as I peel back the bloody towel, revealing a deep laceration in the arch of her foot. Alright, it really is that bad. The wine in her system has thinned her blood and it's not coagulating as quickly as it should. "He's not going to care about the fucking vase, stop being so melodramatic mother. Dad is only going to be upset that you hurt yourself on the damn thing." I press the fabric back down and scoop her up in my arms, bridal style, and carry her down to the car.

After getting her situated comfortably and buckled in, I dash around the car and slide into the seat. "I'll have you there in no time mom, relax."

She looks at her foot and notices her blood beginning to stain the mat. "I'm so sorry Edward, I'm getting blood all over your new car."

"Esme, don't fucking worry about it," I groan as we hit the main road, "Blood washes out. If it doesn't I can always get new mats." Always fucking worrying about upsetting people.

"I just-I'm-I," Esme stammers, trying to find the right words.

I pat her hand," You're scared, I get that. Everything will be okay mom, so stop freaking out."

We are silent on the drive to the ER. Halfway there I reach over and take her hand in mine. She gives me a tiny smile in return.

Carlisle is waiting just outside of the entrance to the hospital, his tawny eyes fraught with worry. Before the wheels even come to a complete halt, he's throwing the door open and pulling his wife into his arms and carrying her into the ER. "Hurry up and park the car Edward, I don't want your mother to be left alone," he calls over his shoulder just before the doors slide closed.

I quickly find a parking spot close to the entrance and race inside to the desk where a plump, friendly faced woman sits. "Could you tell me what room Esme Cullen was taken to?" I inquire, drumming my fingers on the wood laminate, "My dad, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, just carried her in with a laceration to her right foot."

She nods and taps a few keys on the computer, "She's in Exam Room 2, do you want me to take you there?" she offers.

I push off the desk shaking my head, "No thanks, I remember the way," and take off at a brisk walk that continually threatens to transform into a full out run.

"Exam Room 2, Exam Room 2," I chant under my breath as I navigate the sterile hallways until I come upon a door the has 'Exam Room 2' stenciled on it in large white lettering.

I smooth my hair the best I can and calm my breathing before knocking on the door.

"Come in Edward," Carlisle murmurs and I comply, stepping in as quietly as possible.

Immediately I see my mother, the towel removed from her injured appendage and covered in red-brown liquid while Dad is busy stitching her foot closed

. "How you holding up Mom?" I ask her as I take her hand after moving to the side of the bed that Carlisle isn't working on.

She gives me a weak smile, "I'm doing fine Edward, I can't feel a thing except for a little tugging. It actually reminds me of all those times B--"

"Yeah, it reminds me as well," I interrupt, "But that got so much better after Jasper and I talked her and Alice into taking Muay-Thai with us. She learned agility real quick."

Carlisle chuckles but there is no humor in it, "Yes, well I still see her in here from time to time, but it's usually been from one of the many altercations she's been in. She is not the girl you remember, Edward. The last I heard, you don't even possess the correct anatomy to catch her interest, not that I have a problem with her choice of partners. It's just that I just cannot and will not condone her continuing acts of random violence, no matter how much I have cared for her over the years. I would feel better if you avoided her altogether. I don't want to see you get dragged down by her malevolence after everything you've been through."

And there it is. The whole reason that he had been unwilling to give me her phone number and I had to beg Esme for it.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I ask, fury boiling in my veins. How dare he?!

Carlisle sits quiet until he has completed the mending and mummification of Esme's foot. Upon turning to me, I see the sadness in his eyes, and it is exacerbated by disappointment. "I do not want you around Bella Swan, Edward. Ever. I realize that she meant a lot to you, at one time, but you have no idea the cruel being that she has become in your absence. The darling girl you were once smitten with is gone and in her place now stands a blackened creature that thinks nothing of committing violence on an impulse. I should know, I've treated a number of her adversaries."

"How do you know what kind of person she is if you don't even give her time enough to explain herself?" I challenge, my voice rising above the hoarse whispers I had been using. "I know what being away from her did to me, I can only imagine the nightmare she lived through with those infants she calls classmates haranguing her for information about where I went because I'm pretty damn sure that no one went around silent until someone told the truth! I had honestly believed that if anyone would have been able to help her, it would be the two of you. I am beginning to see that error."

Esme sits up and places a dainty hand on each of us, "I don't think this is the time or the place to discuss this. Edward, you're father does know a bit about what Bella has gotten herself into, but Carlisle, I also agree with Edward, she had to have been in a terrible state, losing one of her best friends like that. We could have done more to help her, Jasper, and Alice and we didn't. We failed those children just as much as we failed Edward."

My father looks at his wife, disbelieving, "So it's our fault that Bella turned into a bully who entertains herself by illegal street racing, drinking, and fighting? I don't see Alice or Jasper reacting to such an extreme! No Esme, she has made her choices and now she has to live with the consequences. Stay away from her Edward, this isn't a request, and as you are still a juvenile in the eyes of the law, you will obey my decision."

I get to my feet and stomp towards the door, I have to leave before I hit him for being so goddamn blind. "I don't care what she has or hasn't done, you bastard. You don't know any-fucking-thing. Not when it comes to her and I, so stop fucking pretending that you do," I spit at my father, venom dripping from my words, "And there isn't a goddamn thing that is going to keep me from her now. Not you, not my age, and sure as hell not Edward fucking Masen. Nothing. The only thing that will stop me is if she doesn't want to see me. I won't leave her side ever again otherwise." I storm from the room and out of the hospital, straight to my car.

I light a cigarette as I drive aimlessly through the little town, trying to clear my head and cool my temper. It wasn't Carlisle's knowledge of her fights that irked me, it was the inference that she had done it for no other reason than to spread panic and disorder. There's no way that I'm going to listen to his order to stay away from her, and he knows it, so that's a moot point. His blatant reference to her current choice of partners was meant to be a slap to the face, but since I had already seen her with that Victoria, the girl James has been hanging out with, it didn't have the effect that he had no doubt been hoping for. What the fuck happened to the Carlisle I used to know? He would never have turned his back on any of my friends, especially her. He loved her like his own daughter, once upon a time.

The dashboard clock tells me that it's after three in the morning and I decide to head home. It's too late tonight to send another message to her, it will have to wait until tomorrow night. I have to talk to her before her birthday because that's the same day James and I start school. One week from Monday. With the way things have been going, I'm not sure that is enough time now.

I see James' new car, a decked out jet black '37 Coupe, sitting in the garage when I pull in. Good, maybe he can help me get my head wrapped around all of this. I ignore the presence of Carlisle's Mercedes and traipse up the stairs, James' room being my destination.

The door is closed, not unusual for someone who has spent years fighting for every sliver of privacy. I hear music playing, 'Let's Go All the Way' from ICP. He's still awake then. I knock on the door softly and announce myself. I hear unfamiliar laughter and the door is pulled open by none other than Victoria, who is dressed in nothing but a black silk sheet and has a serious case of sex hair.

Oh shit. I wonder if she knows that she isn't the only one in this house to have been privy to James' talents in the bedroom? I offer a polite smile. "Can I speak with James for a moment?"

"Hi, you must be Edward," she quips cheerily, "James will be out in a few minutes, he's just getting out of the shower. Come on in, I only bite if you ask nicely." Yeah, right. There's no way he's told her. She opens the door enough to allow me passage without touching her semi-nude form. I comply, hiding my shock at her state of undress.

After taking a seat near the floor to ceiling window, I subtly scrutinize the ginger haired woman. Wait, I thought her and Victoria were together? "I thought you were a lesbian? That's what James told me." I blurt out before I can stop myself.

She laughs as she pulls a shirt, James', over her head and drops the sheet, "Just because I date women from time to time doesn't make me a lesbian. I'm bisexual, if you must know," she informs me as she pulls her long hair out of the shirt, humor lacing her tone. She leans down and retrieves her black cargo pants from a pile of clothing on the floor and slips them on, "Why do you care anyways?"

Why do I care? You're supposed to be dating the love of my life and yet I find you here, fresh from a fuck-fest with my best friend! I want to scream. Instead I shrug nonchalantly and stare at my cast, "I don't really. I just remember James talking about you and he was bummed that you only dated chicks, that's all."

Victoria lifts a pack of cigarettes and eyes me questioningly. I unlatch the window and push it open, "By the window please, my mother is paranoid about us burning the house down around our ears."

She shuffles over while lighting her cigarette, "Yeah, I can imagine the kind of stuff that would be lost if this place ever burnt down."

I stare out into the darkness, concentrating on not blowing up for a second time tonight. "Well, my mother owns a business that purely deals with antiques and estate sales. It's a pretty lucrative business, from what she tells me. Sometimes she can't help herself and brings some of the shit home with her so there's quite a collection built up here."

I feel her eyes on me so I turn and gaze into her electric blue eyes, "Yes?"

The look on her face is one of surprise and outright awe. "You're Edward Cullen. _The_ Edward Cullen, aren't you?"

Now I'm confused and a little pissed off. "What does it matter if I am or not?"

Victoria's eyes grow wistful, tinged with something that looks like regret, "I know a girl you used to date, that's all."

I take a drag off of my cigarette and let out a dark laugh. "Oh, you mean the girl who you are supposed to be dating instead of fucking my buddy James? I'm guessing fidelity isn't one of your strong suites," I hiss, not bothering to hide my disdain any longer.

She glares at me, her eyes hardening into azure ice. "She's the one who pushed me to go to the concert with him!" she shouts, " I asked her to be my girlfriend, and she accepted, but she told me then that she could never love me because she was still in love with you! So get off your fucking high horse and oh, I don't know, let her know you're still fucking alive because as much as I like her, as anyone has ever liked her, no one has ever been able to compare to Edward fucking Cullen. For fucks sake, every day she wears this little fucking leather cuff with the Cullen crest on it and strokes the damn thing like it's a pet or something! I can only assume that it's yours, though I can't fucking understand why she is still pining for you."

I stagger back as she yells, overwhelmed by her rebuttal. "You sound like you hate her and me both," I manage to choke out in response.

She laughs and shakes her head, "No, I could never hate Bella, she's been good to me and in the short time we've known each other, has proven to be a fierce and loyal friend. To the world she might be a super bitch, but under all of that armor she hides behind is a girl who is lost and broken and just wants to be loved. You, on the other hand, I just might fucking hate, for leaving her like you did."

"Me? Do you really think that I wanted to fucking leave her all alone?!" I snarl, stepping back towards her, "If there is anything in my miserable fucking existence that I could change, it would be leaving her! It's been two motherfucking years and she still means everything to me! How dare you imply that I hurt her on purpose! Besides, you're the one who is supposed to be her girlfriend, but here you are, cheating on her! How is that any better than me being forced, yes forced, to leave her?!"

She stops and a confused look takes over her features, "You were forced to leave her? Why?"

"Now you suddenly want to know the truth?" I scoff and angrily rake my hands through my hair, "After saying that you hate me? Are you retarded or something?"

Victoria shakes her head, "I'm not retarded you asshole. It's just the stories about you leaving, Bella fighting all the time....and she won't talk about any of it except to say that she plans on finding you next summer because it's her destiny or something like that."

"Fine, short version. I was adopted by my aunt and her husband when my biological mother died. They never knew my biological father was even alive until he showed up with the police when I was fifteen and had court papers telling my parents that he had nullified my adoption and had sole custody of me. The son of a bitch somehow found out that I had a trust fund and wanted access to it. So I was ripped from the only parents I had ever known, the only life I had ever lived, and forced to go with some motherfucker that I had never met in my life because according to DNA tests, he was my real father. Two fucking years I've lived through hell, trying to get back to her, to my life." I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger, trying to calm down."There, now you know the big secret she has been dealing with all this time."

"You...her....I didn't know," Victoria confesses in a strangled voice after a few minutes of tense silence, "The stories always say that you flipped out and ran away. The reasons for it vary, but none of them are good."

"Well, after he apologizes for screaming at you so I don't kick his ass, why don't you enlighten us to some of the hare-brained theories as to why our friend Eddie skipped town?" James asks. I can hear him drop down onto his bed and light a cigarette of his own.

I rub my face and open my eyes, focusing on her, "I am sorry Victoria, I've had a lot to deal with lately and you were a convenient target. Please forgive my temporary bout of insanity?"

Hesitantly she nods and sits herself beside James, who is leaning back against the headboard,"You're forgiven. This time. If you ever pull shit like that again, I'm slicing and dicing your ass, no matter how much Bella loves you." She stretches her hand out. "Deal?"

I reach forward and pump it once before dropping it, "Deal. Now please tell some of these stories that have been conjured up about me."

She leans over the side of the bed, scoops something up, and tosses it to me. A bottle of vodka. I look at her quizzically, "That bad?" What could those idiots have come up with?

Victoria nods solemnly, "Yeah, some are that bad. Don't drink it all right away though, trust me, you're going to need a few strong drinks by the time I'm done."

I sit myself on James' other side, resting against the headboard and stretching my legs out comfortably, "Fire away."

She tilts her head and seems to debate for a moment before speaking. "You can't say her name."

It's a statement, not a question.

I ignore it until she says,"She can't say yours either, you know."

I shrug and concentrate on the burning tip of my cigarette, "It's complicated and I'm not really comfortable discussing anything else about her with you. Can you please drop it?"

She takes a swig from her bottle of liquor, bobs her head once, and launches into the sordid tales of Edward Cullen.

The next few hours are consumed by tales that span from hilarious to outright sickening. Some stories conclude that I had joined the witness protection program because I identified a band of home-grown terrorists or some shit. In at least one I am actually the son of a foreign king and left to take the thrown upon my father's untimely demise. Hell, there is even one that I think she may have actually enjoyed. It's basically a Romeo and Juliet story. Cullens versus Quileutes over some ancestral slight .

Others aren't so funny, even in a morbid sense. More than one revolves around a pregnancy, usually her's, and an abortion, the embarrassment to my family spurning my parents into sending me to a boarding school in Europe somewhere. At least one makes me guilty of multiple rapes, sometimes of teenage girls, sometimes boys, one even includes small children. A number of stories paint me as an out of control drug addict who was either in long term rehab or on the run from dealers that I owed millions to. One or two state that I was actually a mafia don's only son who had been hidden here because of death threats. Several end with me dying various painful deaths. Overdose, plane malfunction, gunfight?, drive-by, you name it.

Where the hell do these people get their material? No wonder she has spent so much of the last two years fighting with people, they're all a bunch of fucking idiots!

I don't know how long we sat in silence when she was done. I can't even remember falling asleep as the bedroom became lighter with the rising sun. All I do know for sure is that waking up in bed alongside Victoria and James spooning with me snuggling against his back is a really fucking unsettling situation.

I slip out of the bed as quietly as I am able and slink upstairs to my room. I make sure to lock my door then I close the heavy shades to block out the light and get a quick shower to remove the blood and grime of the day before. Once I'm comfortably clothed in a pair of sweats and an Avengers tee shirt that my mother had bought for me, I take out my contacts and find my glasses. My parents are looking into the surgeries it would take to render those bad boys useless for good.

The phone tells me that it's after 8:30 am when I put it on the charger and my addled brain decides it's a good time to send her another text. Hopefully she's awake or she's going to be upset later on. I crawl up my bed, dropping onto my side as I hit the play button on the remote for the stereo. Debussy begins floating out of the speakers, sending calming waves into the darkened room. I pick the phone up again, it's now or never. I take a deep breath and begin to type.

_Good morning, my love, are you awake yet?_

**~Bella~**

My phone beeping startles me awake. I'm curled up in one of the old chairs that Jasper managed to haul up here over the summer so I throw off the blanket and stretch, trying to work the knots out, and reach for the phone. One new message.

_Good morning, my love, are you awake yet?_

All of my fears try to crash back down, but I push them aside, letting only the hopeful thoughts emerge as I respond.

_I'm awake. Is it you? Just give me a sign._

I chew on my thumbnail as I anxiously await an answer. My heart feels like it's going to explode when I get one.

_Kismet, dear Isabella._

I literally jump out of my seat at his words. Edward! My Edward! Finally! But how did he get around Masen? What changed?

_How did you manage to get around HIM? Is this safe for you?_

I can't stand the thought of that man tainting one more thing in our lives.

_He is no longer a deciding factor in our future._

Alice was right, there are gods.

_Does that mean you're coming home soon?_

Coming back to me soon? Wait. No getting presumptuous that he wants you back even if he has already shown that he still cares Bella. He might not once he knows everything you've done.

_Yes. I'm sitting in my old room as we speak. It feels empty without you here with me._

I grab my things and start running downstairs..

_I'm on my way Edward. I'll be there in 15 minutes. 20 tops._

I slip on the rug at the bottom of the steps but balance myself out and continue running until I reach the door to my bedroom. I hear the phone alert me to a new message as I yank off my pj's and pick it up as I throw open my closet door.

_You can't come over right now. There has been another complication._

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Why does this have to be so hard? Haven't we suffered enough? Shit. What if this is where he tells me that his feelings have changed or that he knows what I've done and doesn't want me anymore? I have to bite the bullet and ask him.

_What complication? _

The silence is maddening. I don't even notice that I've begun to cry again until I feel them drop onto my bare chest. I grab the first shirt that my hand touches and pull it on.

_My father has forbidden me to have any contact with you._

Carlisle forbid Edward from having any contact with me? What the hell?

_Why? I don't understand my love._

I have already hit send when I realize what I just called him. How easily old habits resurface. I hope he's not mad.

_He thinks you a bad influence now love._

He said it back!!!!!! Then it occurs to me. Carlisle thinks I'm a bad influence because of the fighting, I'd wager.

_It's the fighting, isn't it? Don't bullshit me either._

If that son of a bitch thinks he can keep us apart now, he's got another thing coming. I at least have to explain to Edward why a lot of those fights happened and let him make the choice on whether he wants me in his life or not.

_That was amongst his list of reasons. I disagree with him, if that helps._

Of course it fucking helps! But that was only one of the reasons? How many are there? I've done so much, how much did Carlisle find out about?

_There's a list?_

My mind starts flipping through the various felonies, misdemeanors, and traffic laws I've broken these years and realize that maybe Carlisle should keep Edward away from me. I'm not the good person that Edward used to know.

_Of course there's a list Isabella, and I could care less about any of it. _

Leave it to Edward to brush it off. I can't let him do that. He has to know.

_I've done some hellacious stuff since you left. Maybe Carlisle's right to keep you away from me._

His answer is quick, I can almost hear him speaking the words.

_That's bullshit. Hell, if I had been here, I would've been helping you do that shit, and you know it._

I can't help but laugh because it's true. He would have been right beside me for some of the stunts I've pulled.

_I can't help it, I've done a lot of things and hurt a lot of people since you left. I'm not so nice nowadays._

I sit the phone down long enough to pull on a pair of low rise jeans. His answer is waiting.

_I know some of it already and I still don't care. _

He says that now, but what happens when I tell him everything?

_You can't say that. You don't know everything I've done._

My heart melts all over again.

_You could be a mass murderer and still be the only future that I want or need._

He wants me, even after all I've done. I want so much to tell him how I feel, but I can't, not like this. I want to be able to see his face when he hears me say it.

_I want to say three words to you, but I can't. Seeing them typed after so long will ruin it._

Please don't misinterpret what I just said!

_I understand Isabella, I feel the same way. Soon love, I promise._

I dig a cigarette out of the mangled box and light one, thrilled that he knows what I'm trying to say without saying it.

_How soon is soon? I can't stand knowing you're here and not be able to tell you those three words._

If luck is with us, I'll be able to tell him by sundown, but it usually isn't, so I brace myself for the bad news.

_I can't say for sure just yet, but please have faith in my promise._

There's a knock on my door. "Can I come in baby girl?" Jasper asks from the other side.

_Shit! Jasper's knocking on my door! Gimme a sec._

"Give me a couple minutes BB," I answer, "I'm getting dressed." The phone beeps again.

_It's okay, I need to crash for a bit anyways. I'll try to call you later. Midnight sound good?_

Midnight?! That's a fucking lifetime away! Too bad I have no choice, not until we can figure a way around his father.

_Okay. I keep my phone on me 24/7, so call or text any time. Sweet sleep Edward, I'm glad your home._

I grab a scrunchie and hastily draw my hair back. "Almost done Jazz," I call to my brother.

_I'll keep that in mind love. I'm glad to be home. Be safe Isabella. There is no future for me without you._

I sigh and flip the phone shut, slipping it into my pocket as I open my door. "What's up? Whoa, you look like shit." I take in my brother's shoddy appearance.

He trudges passed me and drops onto my bed. "Alice had one of her dreams last night and, at about 6 am, woke me up to talk about it. I guess it's a dream she's had off and on since May, but the frequency has increased every night since school started. Ali told me that's she had it every night last week and it was time to spill the beans to you, so here I am. I've had a whopping total of about four hours of sleep, but she made me swear that I would talk to you about it as soon as I got enough caffeine in me to drive home."

Alice has an uncanny ability to guess what happens in the future. Sometimes it's a gut feeling, other times she has vivid reams about things. It's eerie how often she ends up being right. So often that we've learned to never bet against her precognition or whatever it is.

I fall down beside Jasper and curl up against his side. "Okay, hit me with it," I tell him as he wraps an arm around me, "I'm getting eaten by zombie rabbits again, aren't I?"

He snickers wearily, eyes falling shut, "No, that was the other dream she had. The first one is about your kismet. She's positive that he's coming home and soon. She also said to keep you're phone close because you are the first one of us that he's going to contact. With that being said, I'm back to sleep. If you don't want me in your bed, you're going to have to carry me at this point. I could barely keep my eyes open on the way home."

I nuzzle my head into his shoulder and stretch my free arm across his stomach, "You're fine where you are Jazz, get some sleep. I'll lay here with you until you are zonked out good, okay?"

"Mm-hmm," he hums, pulling me closer and burying his face in my hair. I check my phone, setting the text alerts to vibrate and sound, then let myself relax again Jasper's sleeping form once more. I soon follow him into la-la land and dream of my reunion with my Edward, my kismet.

**I know, not the reunion everyone was hoping for, but please remember, they still have to meet physically, so please don't hurt me!!!**

**REVIEWS ARE ALMOST AS GOOD AS HAVING MY COOL-ASS JASPER AS A BIG BROTHER.**

**For anyone who didn't understand that. REVIEW OR DIE.**


	7. Chapter 6 The Carlisle Conspiracy

**If I owned any of the copyrighted shit I use, I wouldn't be busting my ass for free, just so you know. I do, however, own a one-eyed slightly psychotic cat who thinks he's a kid.**

**A/N #1 : I have a big favor to ask of everyone. My RL cousin is just getting into writing and has just begun her first story, it's a completely original story. Please go read it and tell her what you think. Constructive criticism only please. **www(dot)fictionpress(dot)com/u/684852/

**A/N #2 : I know a lot of people are really pissed off at Carlisle and will be even more so after reading this chapter, but please think about some things before you flame me:**

**Carlisle is a father who has lost his son once already and when Edward was returned to them, it was only after the discovery about the illegal fighting that he was forced into by Masen. He doesn't know the reasons behind Bella's fights, only that she was in them. He came to his own conclusions, problem is that they're wrong. Carlisle is only trying to protect his child from someone he believes will only do Edward harm. What lengths would you go to to protect your child from bad influences? Also, we've already seen hintings at Edward's ability to overreact (he broke into a school rather than take a chance at being recognized at a party), where do you think he learned it?**

**Please take these things into consideration before you freak out on me.**

**Okay, ranting done for now, please enjoy the chapter!**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 6**

**The Carlisle Conspiracy**

**~Bella~**

"Aw, look Rosie, the evil twins are still sleeping, the world is safe for a little while longer," Emmett's booming voice greets my return to consciousness. What the hell is he doing in my room?

"They're not twins you mutant hemorrhoid," Alice lilts, "Jasper is thirteen months older than Bella, for your information."

I hear someone shift their feet near me, "I don't care about their age difference, I think they look adorable, laying together like that. I wish I had a big brother like Jasper to take care of me like he does her," Rosalie's London brogue adds wistfully. I here a clicking sound from somewhere.

"You have to send me a picture of that Rose. Oh! And there are those beautiful brown eyes. Good morning sunshine! Sleep well?" Alice smiles as I open my eyes to the world.

I groan and push myself off of my brother's shoulder, blinking against the light."What time is it?"

"After three," Emmett qualifies after dropping down into my bean bag chair, "Now what were you up to all night to make you so tired Bells? Watching Internet porn?"

I rub my face and nudge Jasper, "No Em, that's your addiction. I was actually up reading until after dawn. My phone woke me up about 8:30, right before Jasper came home to ramble on for an hour about a fucked up dream Ali had. I fell back to sleep after my asshole brother started snoring."

Do I tell them about Edward already being home? Does the whole keeping things to myself still stand? Alice and Jasper will be pissed off because he hasn't come over yet if I do tell them, unless I also spill the beans about Carlisle being a royal bastard. What a switch from pretending we don't exist. I'm going to have to ask Edward what he wants so I don't fuck anything up.

Alice giggles and jumps on the bed as I get to my feet, "Well, there's food downstairs so you three go eat and I'll wake up your annoying sibling," she commands.

"You do anything in my bed, you'd better change my goddamn sheets. You forgot to last time and it was fucking gross," I warn her, grabbing my cigarettes and phone, then jam my feet into my slippers.

"Yeah, yeah," she waves me off, "Now git. We'll be down in ten minutes."

"Whatever pixie, don't forget what I said. Chasing me out of my own fucking room," I grumble, shuffling out the door as I check to see if I have any new messages from Edward. Shit. None. We're going to have to work something out soon. I can't keep this from Alice and Jasper much longer. He's their family too, they deserve to know that he is home. I highly doubt Carlisle would forbid Edward from seeing them.

"Looking to see if Tori sent you any messages about the concert little sister? Maybe she sent you a pic of her perky tits? Care to share?" Emmett inquires as we reach the bottom of the steps.

Fuck me running. I had completely forgotten about her! What kind of girlfriend am I? Shit, I have to tell Edward about her and vice-versa. I know she will understand, but will he?

"She's probably up to her perky tits in annoying parents, brother bear," I retort as lightly as I can manage, "Or she managed to get lucky with James last night and is still at his house, learning the Karma Sutra. I'm not going to interfere with either." I don't have a right to, after practically throwing her at him.

The three of us enter the kitchen and Rose immediately starts doling out food from the bags. Yum! Roast beef sandwiches from Arby's and curly fries. I dig into one of the bags and snatch a handful of barbecue sauce then proceed to cover both the sandwiches and fries in it, humming happily as I eat.

We chatter about their double date with Jasper and Alice while we eat, but I know the questions about a certain feminine redhead aren't far off. My brother and his girlfriend join us a few minutes into the conversation, but I know neither of them will ask, Jazz and I had already talked about it. Thankfully the other two wait until I'm finished eating to ambush me. I didn't know Emmett or Rosalie had that much patience in them.

"So, care to explain how are you okay with Victoria going out on a date with another person let alone the idea of her shagging him? Did you two talk about that possibility?" Rosalie asks as she takes a sip of her iced tea.

I open the back door and light a cigarette, "She hasn't admitted anything to me yet, but James is who she wants, I can hear it in her voice every time she talks about him. He makes her happy. Happier than I ever would so, to answer your question, I'm perfectly fine with her going out with James. If she ends up getting laid along the way, more power to her. Hell, maybe they'll let me watch sometime, or join in even," I add the last sentence just for a chance to shock Emmett yet again.

"You would really get off on that? Damn Bellaboo, that's like grade A prime porno material right there. I didn't realize that you were such a naughty little thing," Emmett's verbal vomiting accompanied by his eyes bulging out of his head are enough to make everyone burst into laughter.

"What's the matter Emmie-bear? Worried you married the wrong girl?" Jasper teases, patting the hulking man on the shoulder, "You're right, you did marry the wrong girl, a blow up doll is more you're intellectual equal. Rose is way too good for your dumb ass. Bella should steal her away from you just to protect her." Yeah, right, dumb. Emmett carries a 4.0 in school flawlessly, he just has no brain filter when it comes to talking.

Emmett gives him the finger, "My Rose is more than woman enough for me. She does such a good fucking job with the things she does in bed that I don't need to find another woman to wear me out. Ow! What the hell Rose?! It was a compliment?!" he finishes as Rose whacks him upside the head.

"You know what, you fucking window licker," Rosalie snarls at him, "Leave Bella alone or I'm turning your bits and bones into pickled eggs and sausage. The girls got enough trouble without you making her feel uncomfortable about being herself in her own home."

"I think we still have an old muzzle of Seth's around here that you can use, if you think that might help darling Rosalie," my brother offers, his tone reminding me of a child at an amusement park.

"It's okay Rose, brother bear is doing what he does best," I state with a wave of my hand, "He's being an overly hormonal teenage boy who has taken too many steroids so now his head is too big and his balls look like raisins. No blood, no foul, though I did happen hear something about Emmett being drunk and doing the Macarena on YouTube."

Emmett's face pales and he looks to his wife, a mortified expression etched into his face, "I thought you destroyed that! You promised you would take care of it!"

Jasper nearly falls onto the hardwood floor, laughing like a hyena, "Your wife didn't have anything to do with it Emmett. After we originally met, Bells, Ali and I had been discussing where we recognized you from and Bella happened to find the clip on YouTube. Who knew you could dance so well when naked, covered in Sharpie drawings, and completely trashed, Emmett McCarty, or should I say, McLovin'?"

Emmett had occasionally called himself that on the video and if Jasper had been able to restrain himself in that moment, a look on Alice's face tells me that she wouldn't have been as stalwart.

I decide to make a run for it before things take another turn for the worse and stomp over to slide my feet into my worn black boots. "I'm taking Seth down to the beach, you crazy ass, hormonal motherfuckers," I huff, "If you don't feel like going with, stay the fuck out of my room if you want to live. If there's something you need from in there, Jasper can get it for you." No one goes in my room without permission when I'm not home, not even Leah and Jake.

While getting Seth's leash, I whistle for the silly mutt and the sounds of a stampede warn everyone of his arrival just before he skids across the wood floor. I hook his collar and give a gentle tug as I step towards the open door. It's all the incentive the half-wolf needs to begin dragging me out of the house and down the stone path to the sandy shore.

Once on the wet sand, I release Seth and give him an affectionate pat, encouraging him to run. He doesn't need told a second time, instantly bolting down the pale stretch of land in search of a good stick. The sun is peeking through the clouds, making the water sparkle like liquid sapphire as I lose myself in entertaining my pup.

I eventually hear Emmett's raucous laughter mixed with Jasper's lazy chortles approaching over the crash of the waves and look up to see all four of them winding their way down to the beach. Damn, they look like a group of movie stars. I'm no ugly fucking step-sister, but I will never be in the same league as them. Edward would fit right in with the quartet, even in his glasses and obscure tee shirts. Always my Adonis.

Seth trots up to me and drops the stick at my feet, startling me from my ogling. As I heave the stick towards my friends, my phone begins buzzing and beeping. I glance up the beach and notice Emmett playing tug-of-war with Seth so I take the opportunity to clamor up the embankment and find a secluded spot before looking at my phone.

_Good afternoon Isabella, are you free to talk for a bit?_

Duh. I could be in the middle of a war zone and have time to talk to you Edward.

_Always free for you. Just down at the beach with Seth and the others. I have a quick question though._

Way to be subtle Swan.

_What is that love?_

Shit. What if he says no? Can I keep this from Alice and Jasper? Yes I could, but I wouldn't be happy about it. He has to know that.

_Can I tell Jasper and Alice that you're home? They miss you too._

His answer takes so long that I begin to worry that he won't answer at all.

_Of course you can tell them love. I wouldn't have it any other way._

"Yes!" I shout before I can contain myself. "Jasper! Alice! He's home! He's home!" I start running down the hill, jumping over various rocks as I go. I stop longer enough to warn him of my next move.

_I'm going to tell them now love. Think you could sneak over to celebrate with us?_

I know that I'm probably asking way too much, but I'm letting myself be caught in the moment. Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie come barreling down the beach, Seth on their heels. They look upset.

"What's wrong Bella?" Jasper cries out as he nears, his voice betraying his panic,"We heard you shouting, are you okay?"

_I'm sorry Isabella, I can't visit just yet. We'll work it out. I can call you though, if you wish._

I put a finger up to my brother, causing him to skid to a stop in front of me, "Give me just one minute BB and you'll understand why I was screaming like a complete lunatic." After I get a chance to hear his voice, I add silently.I've waited two years too long for this moment, I'll be damned if someone else hears him first.

_Please do, I'm going crazy here without you._

I'm acutely aware of the four sets of eyes on me as I, in turn, stare at the phone, willing it to ring. My mind begins to wander as I wait. Will he sound different to me? Has his voice changed from what I remember?Will I sound different to him? What if he doesn't recognize my voice, will he hang up without talking?

I jump when the plastic rectangle clutched in my hand begins rattling and ringing. Blocked number, the caller ID informs me. Figures. It has to be him. I hope. I can feel the beads of sweat form on my brow as I open the phone.

"Hello?" I cringe when my voice cracks with emotion. Jasper starts to take a step in my direction, alarmed, and I put my free hand up and give him a pleading look.

"Hello Isabella," Edward greets me, his velvet voice turning my knees to butter and I feel myself sinking to the ground,"I know I said I would call at midnight, but I couldn't make myself wait any longer. You have no idea of how your voice has haunted my dreams these years, my love." Understanding floods my brother's face as he and Emmett dive forward to slow my fall.

"Edward," I breathe his name, feeling Jasper now launch himself sideways to catch Alice as she drops down beside us, a disbelieving gasp escaping her lips. I try to shake away the desperate confusion that has sprung to life in my brain, "I can't believe it's really you, not after dreaming about it for so long. Is this some cruel joke? Am I delusional?"

His soft laughter makes my chest feel like it's going to explode, "Well, my love, if you are delusional, then so am I. Either way, we'll be in this together, sound good?"

Jasper pulls Alice and I into his lap, cradling us in his arms as I grin like a madman at Edward's twisted logic, "It sounds perfect Edward, as long as we're together, I don't care what happens."

"Fantastic Isabella, two delusional teenagers out to take the world by storm," he chortles, warmth permeating his melodic tone. It's wonderful to hear him so happy, knowing that I had a smart part of making him that way. "Now maybe you could put me on speaker so I can say hi to Ali and Jazz?"

I hit the speaker button and clear my throat, "Okay Edward. Jasper and Alice are right beside me so talk whenever you're ready, go for it. Oh, and you're going to have to say hi to Emmett and Rosalie as well. Emmett's Alice's cousin and Rose is his wife. They can be trusted love, I swear."

"I believe you Isabella," he answers, nervousness creeping into his voice, "Um, well, hello everyone. How are we doing this afternoon?" I laugh inwardly at the realization that not everything has changed with my kismet. He still gets shy around new people. I can imagine the blush creeping across his face, like it always did when the attention was turned on him.

After hello's and introductions are passed around, we sit there on the beach for over an hour, trying to cram two years of life experiences into a single conversation. Edward doesn't offer much in way of his life, saying that he would rather hear about us because it was infinitely more interesting than anything he's done. Emmett and Edward seem to be headed towards a genuine friendship despite only having talked over the phone. I can't say that I'm surprised though, Emmett is impossible to hate.

Phone numbers and emails are exchanged at warp speed before we start working on a plan to get Edward back into our lives. He explains the argument that he had been in with his father, causing me to bow my head in shame when everyone's gaze falls on me. I wasn't ashamed of what I had done necessarily, only that Edward had to suffer because of my actions.

He then confesses that he is already enrolled at Forks High School, but isn't starting class just yet. He doesn't know when he'll be starting either because he was in an accident before coming home and is waiting for Carlisle to release him. Then my world starts spinning backwards when he informs us of his friend that came with him from Chicago, James Nomada.

"Is he friends with a girl named Victoria, by any chance?" I ask in a small voice. I still haven't had a chance to talk to him about Victoria or her about Edward. Crap. Please just let it be a coincidence.

"Yes, as a matter of fact,he is," Edward replies, and the five of us stare wide-eyed at the phone, "I actually had a chance to meet her when they stopped by the house after the concert. She seems pretty cool to me. I guess they'll be seniors together when we finally start school." There's something in his voice that tells me he is hiding something, but I'm in no position to ask what it might be, so I let it pass for now.

To my dismay, Emmett's brain filter is till on the fritz, "Hey, that's really weird because Bella's girlfr-" the rest is muffled by Rosalie's hand clamping itself over his mouth as she offers me an apologetic smile before leveling her head next to Emmett's.

"You are a dead man," she whispers in her husband's ear. All of the color drains from the large man's face. Nothing and no one in this world can scare him like Rosalie.

"Yes Emmett, that may have come up at one point in my conversation with her," Edward qualifies, clearly uncomfortable now, "I just didn't think the subject was appropriate for a group conversation as Bella and I haven't had a chance to discuss anything in private."

I have to give Edward a way out before this gets any more awkward. I need it just as badly. "We can talk about it when you call later, if you want, okay? I know Esme and Carlisle are probably wondering where you've run off to though, am I right?"

I hear him exhale loudly, "Mom knows that I'm talking to you Bella, and she doesn't care one damn bit. She just wants me to be happy and she knows you have always done that. But you're right, Dad will be home from work soon so I should go so Esme isn't put in a compromising position. I will call you tonight Bella love, as planned. Until then. I miss you." He hangs up without saying goodbye, something I'm grateful for. Rosalie and Emmett, not understanding why he would do that, look at me curiously for an explanation.

I open my mouth to answer, but Jasper interrupts, hugging me to his side protectively once more, "Neither of us are big on saying that word. Edward and Alice grew up with us, so it's an old habit for them to not say it either. If you think about it, you'll realize that the three of us never actually say those words to people we care about. That includes the two of you now, so get used to it."

Rosalie nods as she removes her hand from her husband's mouth, "I understand, thank you for explaining and including us in the circle of those you trust. Sorry for the confusion."

Emmett looks frantic as his wife sets him free. "I'm so sorry Bella, I didn't think! Please forgive me for being so damn stupid," he begs, my hands disappearing into his larger ones as he grasps them.

I glare at him for a minute before allowing a smirk to melt away my frown, "You're off the hook this time, Emmett McCarty, but from now on, try to use that big ass brain of yours before you shove that size 13 boot in your mouth, okay?"

It's not his fault that he doesn't know the intricacies and inner workings of my life. Or Alice and Jasper's, for that matter. Some things that happen simply have grown out of knowing each other since we were in diapers together. Other things, well, Emmett is not a poster child for subtlety and is, if I'm being honest, the kind of person who never has a thought that he isn't willing to say out loud. It's actually quite refreshing, his honesty. I admit though, I worry about what the world has done and will do to such a pure and good soul.

Emmett pulls me into a bear hug that doesn't knock the air out of me for once, "Anything for you, little sister. I promise I'll do better from now on." He relinquishes his hold on me except for one large arm resting on my shoulders, "Now let's get you ladies inside, the air is growing cold and we can't have you getting sick, can we?"

We laugh in agreement and Jasper is kind enough to wrangle with Seth to get his leash on for me. I offer to take him but my brother shakes his head and smirks at me. "I know the mutt is technically yours and all baby girl, but he's my buddy too, and I haven't gotten a chance to spend much time with him since school started." I simply nod and let him do his thing.

"Em, can I ask you a question?" I ask we trudge back up the beach, still under his arm and his wife wrapped in the other.

He squeezes me gently, "You can ask me anything Bellaboo, you know that. For you and you alone, I would even answer the embarrassing questions."

I wrap my arm around his waist, over Rose's, "Not that I mind at all, but why do you call me and Ali little sister? You've only known me a few weeks and she's your cousin by blood."

His grin is heart warming, as is his answer. "I call you little sister because that's how I feel about you. And yes, I know Alice is already my cousin, but she never really felt like it. She always felt more like a long lost sibling. Jasper also made it abundantly clear that a prerequisite of joining your little gang of crazies was that I had to be just as protective of you girls as I am of my Rose. I didn't have a problem with that and so bada-bing-bada-boom, you and Alice are now officially the adopted sisters of the one and only Emmett McCarty. "

"Love you too Emmie bear," Alice snickers from her perch on Jasper's back.

Jake and Leah are home making dinner for us all when we arrive and Alice is the one to lose her brain filter this time. She blurts out the news of Edward's return and the subsequent ruling of Carlisle about contact with me before anyone can stop her. Carlisle's judgment infuriates them. Emmett and Rosalie excuse themselves before things blow up.

They make it out just in time.

"Who is the hell does that son of a bitch think he is, judging my niece like that?! He is the one who severed contact with us! If he hadn't been such a fucking coward, he would have fucking known that him and his wife weren't the only one suffering when their son left! We suffered too!" Jake bellows, pounding his fists off the counter top, "If it weren't for Esme, Leah, and Kate working together, we wouldn't even know they still fucking lived around here!"

"How do you think I fucking feel Jake?! That's my baby sister he's saying this shit about! I want to rip him to shreds with my bare fucking hands!" Jasper fires back, his anger spiking along with our uncle's, "I can only imagine what he's going to say about Alice, or Quil and Embry when Edward asks about them."

Leah storms back into the room, her beautiful face marred by fury, "Carlisle doesn't know the whole story about why Bella's been in so many fights, no matter how much he inferred to Edward. I'm so sick and tired of his righteous bullshit. If he remembers, Bella showed up at his house and tried to help them when Edward was taken, despite her own suffering, she wanted to help them. He shut the door in her damn face! She was fourteen fucking years old for fuck's sake! And what about when she went back after her breakdown, taking Jasper and Alice with her, the three of them determined to help even after how they were treated?!"

I grind my cigarette out in the ashtray, annoyed, and push away from the door, "Look, I don't give a shit what Carlisle says about me. I stopped caring when Ali, Jazz, and I asked him for help at the hospital one time last year, when Alice sprained her ankle, and he just stared at us like he's never seen us before in his life. I do, however, care about what he says about Alice and Jasper, and how he is punishing Edward for the things I've done. The biggest problem is I don't even turn seventeen for another week and Edward won't be eighteen until June, so unless you plan on fucking helping us sneak around to see him, there isn't shit any of us can do about things as they stand."

Jake spins around and stares at me for a moment, then looks to Leah before an evil grin spreads across his russet face. "Don't fucking worry about that Bellie, Edward will always be welcome here, no matter what his fuctard dad says, but I think there's one or two things I could do that would make Dr. Asshole change his mind. Knocking his perfect fucking teeth out springs to mind for talking about my kids like that, especially my little girl. "

I run my fingers through my tangled mane and blow out an exasperated sigh, "And how exactly is that going to do anything except cement Carlisle's decision Jake? Oh yeah, I know, after he gets out of the hospital, no one we have had contact with will be allowed around Edward and that's if they don't fucking pack up and move to the other side of the damn country! What happens if Carlisle suddenly wants to move back to England, taking Edward with him? Did you ever think about that? At least the way things stand right now, my brother and Ali can see him. They haven't fucked up as much as I have and I won't let anyone else suffer for my mistakes."

Jasper laughs, it's a bitter and angry sound, "You sound like you purposely set out for those people to harass you over Edward or bash you because you date girls occasionally. You know that's horse shit baby girl. Yeah, some fights you did instigate, but that was literally only one or two out of the dozen or more that you ended up in. Just like I know the reason you punched Principal Greene last year was because he was trashing me and Alice and you overheard it. Tyler heard it too and told me, so don't fucking try to hide it."

"That's between me and Mr. Greene, Jasper," I lamely retort before redirecting to his other comments, "And the rest of that garbage is on me, no matter who started running their mouth first. I could have just walked away, but instead I let my anger and my pain overrule everything. I can, in a way, understand Carlisle's condemnation guys. I'm the town fuck up, there's no way I'll ever be good enough to be Edward's friend let alone anything more. I wasn't good enough to begin with and now I'm too far behind to ever catch up," I conclude in a defeated tone and drop into one of the island stools.

Leah whispers something to Jake, who growls and storms out the back door. "Give him a few minutes kids," Leah begs us, "He just needs to calm down some." We nod and fall silent. This isn't the first time Jake has blown up over how the Cullen's have treated us kids ever since they lost custody of Edward.

Alice, her eyes filled with tears, scurries over to Leah and hugs her fiercely. She truly looks like a dainty pixie next to the statuesque 6' 1" Quileute woman, "I'm sorry aunt Lee-Lee. I didn't mean to make you guys mad. I was just so excited that Edward was home that I didn't think about the repercussions of just springing it on you like that."

Leah hugs her back and plants a kiss on the tiny woman's raven hair, "Aw sweetheart, don't' cry. We know that you had no ill intentions when you told us about Edward and, if you remember, Jake and I pressed you for the rest of the story. Nobody blames you Ali-cat, because it's not your fault. I won't let you take credit for this clusterfuck, I love you too much."

At the word cry, Jasper had jumped up and streaked across the kitchen to the two women to wrap his arms around them both. "Ali love, Leah's right, there isn't a person in their right mind who would be mad at you for being excited about our friend coming home, not if they wanted to live any amount of time."

I pick at the label of my water bottle for a few minutes, letting them have their moment. Alice doesn't handle people being upset with her very well. Something unsettling occurs to me after a while, but I push it away, trying not to be paranoid.

"Um, Lee-Lee, I don't mean to be a pain, but shouldn't Jake be back by now?" Alice suddenly asks, concern thick in her tone. That's what I had been trying, in vain, to ignore. Alice and her fucking visions.

The mask of horror that etches itself on my aunt's face tells us all what we need to know. "Bella, check and see if Jake's motorcycle is in the garage," Leah commands as we all leap to our feet, "Jasper, Alice, go check down at the beach to see if he's still down there, you know where to look. I'm going to call his cell and check to see if he came in the front door and went up to his office. Go now!"

I deftly grab my keys off their hook as I race to the garage. There's no way he's still here and we all know that, we're just going through the motions. I hook my blue tooth on my ear and stuff my phone in my pocket while shoving my boots on. This is real fucking bad, I can feel it.

I can tell as soon as I enter the garage that the bike, which normally sits next to Jasper's, is gone. Another obviously clue is the door in front of the bikes is wide open. I hit the button for the intercom that runs throughout the house, "Leah! His bike is gone! I'm going after him!" I put my jacket and helmet on at lightning speed before starting my bike and backing it out of the building.

I'm just getting turned around when I see Leah, Jasper, and Alice burst through the garage door. Alice and Leah head for Alice's yellow Porche as Jasper follows my lead and grabs his silver and green Ducati. I punch the throttle and take off, there's no time to waste.

I could make the drive to the Cullen mansion in my sleep, even going 120 mph like I am by the time I hit the main road or the 175 mph I hit soon after. My phone starts ringing so I quickly reach into my pocket and hit the button. "Whoever this is had better talk fucking fast, some important shit's come up and I don't have time to play nice today."

"It's me honey, draw in the fucking claws for a second," Leah responds, her voice also edgy, "We're a mile or so behind Jasper, so you are still going to get there first. Don't do anything that you will regret Bella, and try not to let Jake do the same, it will just make shit even worse. Promise me sweetheart or I'll call the cops on your ass right now."

"Fuck Lee-Lee," I groan, "I'm not worried about starting a fight, I swear. I'm worried about stopping one before Jake succeeds in killing Carlisle. No more, no less. Now I'm going to hang up because I really need to concentrate on not getting myself killed. And besides, you'd never have the heart to call the cops on me, you love me too much."

I hang up and hit the brakes while making the hair pin turn onto the Cullen's hidden driveway that appears out of nowhere. My knee damn near eats gravel, the bike leans over so far, but I manage to keep it from skidding out from under me. If I hadn't been such a damn good driver, that turn would have just killed me for sure. Thank you Jake for three summers of grueling motorcycle lessons.

I briefly get a glimpse of Jasper, mimicking the same maneuver I'd just pulled off, in my rear view before the winding road blocks my line of sight. The driveway seems to be so much longer than I remember and I start doubting my memory until suddenly the trees gives way to an immaculately manicured lawn, the glistening white and glass mansion nestled among the protective shade of a half-dozen ancient redwood trees. Esme's hobby of house renovating has struck again, by the look of things.

As I draw closer to the monstrosity of a house, I can see the garage on the far side of the mansion and Carlisle's black Mercedes parked outside of it. I scan the area and spot Jake's bike laying sideways on the ground behind the car. He's going to regret that later, he loves that thing.

Oh fucking hell.

I see Jake's enormous form in the shadow of the building. My enraged uncle has Carlisle pushed up against the wall, his feet dangling nearly two feet off the ground. I slide the bike to a stop, "Shit, this cannot be happening," I gasp, dropping it as I run towards the men.

"How dare you call Bella those things, you no good, rotten motherfucker?!" Jake is screaming as I wrench my helmet from my head, "Just because she actually tried to live her fucking life when Edward left and you didn't does not give you any fucking right to say any of that shit about her because you don't approve of some of the shit she's done! She wanted to help you and Esme when he left, all three of those kids did, and you shut them out of your lives!! For fuck's sake, you actually slammed the door in the face of a fucking fourteen year old girl who loves your son so goddamn much that after you did that, she had a fucking mental breakdown Carlisle! She almost died!"

"That's a lie," Carlisle sneers, his ice cold voice stopping me mid-stride,"I would have heard about it at the hospital. Stop making lies for her and see her for what she's become! I am going to protect my son no matter how much garbage you spew in her defense, I will not let Edward be drug down like that!"

"For you information, the day you did that to her, she was so hurt and broken by not only the loss of Edward, but the idea of you and Esme blaming her for it all. She got lost in the fucking woods on her way back from your house, wandering until she fell down an embankment and passed out. It took two fucking days to find her Carlisle. Two! We tried your place, knowing that was where she had been headed, but neither of you were fucking home. Sam, Embry, and Quil are the ones who eventually found her, bleeding, broken, and crying out for you, Esme, and Edward to forgive her! She didn't do anything wrong and was begging your fucking forgiveness!"

I fight against the sudden barrage of memories, nearly collapsing under the weight of the reawakened pain as Carlisle stubbornly clings to his disbelief, "That still doesn't explain how I have never heard about this, you moronic dog."

Jake loosens one of his hands from Carlisle's button up shirt and begins poking him in the forehead, "Think about it asshole. Do you really think we would take her to the same hospital that you worked at when you were part of what screwed her up?! I don't fucking think so."

The sounds of Jasper, Leah, and Alice screeching to a halt a few yards behind me does nothing to deter the proverbial train wreck unfolding.

"Are you okay Bella?" I vaguely hear Jasper ask.

I can feel the hot tears sliding down my face. I wipe them away and nod. "Where the hell is Edward and Esme? They have to be gone because neither of them would let this shit go on." I can't seem to make by legs obey and break them apart.

"I don't think they're home Bella," Alice qualifies, her voice trembling, "Esme's car isn't here."

"Jake! Let him go!" I scream as I finally find the will to move. "He hates our family enough as it is, don't go and add fuel to the fucking fire!" I run to them and grab my uncle's arm, trying to pull him away from the jackass that is Edward's father. "Please Jacob, he is still Edward's dad, no matter what he's said or done. We all still love Edward and he wouldn't want this, not when he's just found his way back to us."

There's a commotion from behind me and I glance over to see Victoria, of all people, standing beside a tall, muscular man. This must be James. Both look baffled as Leah darts passed them to join me in separating the infuriated men. Victoria's blue eyes meet my brown ones, then they flash to James' face before turning back to me. There is a question in her eyes as she takes his hand in her own. She has just made her choice. James also looks to me, confused and apologetic. I nod to them once, conceding my place and my girlfriend to the better person, then turn back to my uncle and kismet's father. James pulls Victoria away from the altercation, evidently knowing what it's about. I silently thank them both for not getting involved.

Jake's face is twisted into a mask of rage, pain, and conflict. "Bella, you can't expect me to just let him go after what he has said about our family, about you. I love you kids like you were my own and I'll be damned if I let anyone say such horrible fucking things about any of you, especially over the lame ass excuse that he's trying to protect his kid. It goes deeper than that and this fucker knows it." He accentuates it with slamming the doctor's back off of the bricks again.

I snake my free hand over the one of Jake's still attached to Carlisle's shirt. "Jacob Black, I've always known that Edward was too good for the likes of me so Carlisle hasn't said anything that I haven't already thought myself, in that respect. As for what he has said about our family, we know what old money like the Cullen's think about us rejects from the reservation, so the only thing that should have shocked you was how long it took for the diatribe to begin. It's not his fault that he is a closed-minded self-serving bastard, it's how he was raised. Let. Him. Go. Now."

Jake closes the short distance to Carlisle's face with his own until their noses nearly touch. "You owe your fucking life to the very girl you are accusing of being a soulless whore, Carlisle. Bet you feel like a big man now. You'd better thank her with every fucking breath you take from here on out." He drops the blonde man and stomps away with Leah by his side.

I reach out my hand to Carlisle, "Well, come on and take it Carlisle. I promise that I don't have any communicable diseases. Besides, you don't look strong enough to get up on your own right now."

He warily takes my hand and I pull him to his feet. "Thank you, um, Bella." He looks like he wants to say more, but notices Jasper and Alice close in behind us.

I smooth my face out, erasing all emotion. "I didn't do it for you, never forget that. If it weren't for Edward and Esme, I would have let him bury you. I used to love you like a father. You abandoned me and the others and chose to degrade and demean me without learning the whole story first. You mean less than nothing to me now. All I want from you is to be allowed to see Edward without your interference or prejudice."

He yanks his hand away, "That is never going to happen Bella. I'm sorry that you had such a rough time, but you could have chosen another route other than becoming someone that overachieves as a violent delinquent who spends their free time in an alcohol-fueled daze climbing into bed with strange women."

I shrug nonchalantly and give him a wicked smile, "Please, spare me the holier than thou lecture Carlisle. You think nobody knows that Esme is an alcoholic and you did a stint in rehab for cocaine addiction? You have done no worse than me, I just have the excuse of being a heartbroken and confused teenager. What's your excuse?"

His topaz solidify and turn malicious, "I'm still his father and my decision still stands. Stay away from my son. I am prepared to utilize legal measures if you push this."

I can't help but laugh at his blatant hypocrisy, "Then there is nothing left for us to say to each other Carlisle. Just remember, karma is a bitch. I can't wait to see what the hospital has to say about you bad mouthing a minor because you decided to take gossip at face value. See you around."

Jasper wraps the arm not clinging to Alice around me and kisses my cheek, "I'm proud of you baby girl," he murmurs as he walks me to my overturned motorcycle, "I don't think I would have able to stop myself from pounding him into the ground. I still might not be," he moves to turn and I grab his arm, scowling until he relents.

"Bella! Wait a sec!" I hear James' voice ring out. I turn around to find him and Victoria standing near a black vintage hot rod, "I'll make sure to let Edward know that you stopped by, okay? He would have been here, but he went to Port Angeles with Esme. They should be back in a few hours." The impish grins on their faces make me realize that we have gained two more co-conspirators in on the plan that Alice jokingly dubbed 'The Carlisle Conspiracy'.

I smile back and nod, "Thanks James. Take care of my girl Tori though, she's still important to me. I'll kick your ass if you hurt her!"

His guffaw's echo in the clearing, "I'm sure you would Bella. I promise, I will cherish every moment I have with her. It was a pleasure to finally meet the girl of Edward's dreams. I was starting to worry if you weren't just a delusion."

I pick my bike up and Jasper hands me my helmet. After a quick look around to make sure Carlisle is out of sight, I push the bike over to the couple. "It was good to meet you too, James," I confess, "Listen, we're having a get little together at our house this weekend, feel free to come over. Sneak Edward out with you, if you can. Victoria, you remember the way babe?"

She bobs her head, "I think so sweetheart. Edward will no doubt remember the way if I have any trouble." She leans closer, "I know why he means so much to you now, after getting a chance to talk to him. I completely understand why there isn't room for anyone else. He is a force of nature, I swear. He loves you very much. I can tell by the way he talks about you."

I find myself blushing at both her proximity and her words, "Thanks baby."

Victoria leans back against her new found beau, "Hey, maybe we could talk James and Edward into letting us have the occasional weekend alone, just me and you. I don't think I'll ever get fantasies of you out of my system."

"I'm game if you are," I admit, "I don't know how things are going to go between me and Edward just yet, but I've been with women for so long that it's going to be difficult to give up completely, especially you. I have dreams about how good you taste."

James chuckles and winds both muscular arms around her middle, "Hey, mine! Give me a little more time to memorize every inch of her that you already have. Yes Bella, before you even ask, I evidently have a lot to live up to, since you just had to be so good in bed, damn you."

I sneak a quick kiss to Victoria's pale throat, making her blush,"I can't help but do my best, it was no more than she deserved. See you at school tomorrow darlin'?"

"Of course, Bells, um, can I still sit with you at lunch? If that's alright? James won't be starting until Edward does so...." she inquires, her bright blue orbs suddenly uncertain.

"You are always welcome to sit with us hun, although that seat just might be my lap," I tease as I mount the bike and start it.

"Now I wouldn't mind coming to school, especially if I'm going to get to see that," James qualifies, a giant smirk on his face.

Victoria swats his broad chest, "That all depends on if you're a good boy or not. See you bright and early Bells." I wave as I take off behind the retreating vehicles of my family.

Jasper slows his bike so that I can catch up, then together we overtake Jacob and taunt him until he joins in on our race home.

I enjoy the reckless camaraderie, throwing myself into these infinite moments spent with my family. There isn't a doubt in my mind that some will construe what transpired as a victory, but I can only taste the bitterness of ash on my tongue as I know exactly what I witnessed. The burning of yet another bridge that had the ability to reunite me with my destiny. I cannot even begin to think about the irreparable damage that had been done today or how loudly the repercussions of that damage will resound in my world come tomorrow.

If I did, it would probably drive me mad.

Correction, I think it may already have.

***Crazy author peeks over protecting shrubbery* Is it safe to come out yet? No?**

**Crap.**

**REVIEW OR DIE!**

***dives behind shrubbery again***


	8. Chapter 7 The Butterfly Effect

**I don't own anything Twilight or copyrighted, but I am the unhappy owner of a busted ass Chevy Cavalier that needs blown up.**

**A/N: Almost everyone's vehicles are posted on my profile page!**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 7**

**The Butterfly Effect**

**~Edward~**

I keep looking at James' text message as I navigate the aisles of the specialty shop, wondering what else could go wrong tonight.

_E- come home NOW. Your dad got into a fight with your girl's uncle and he's freaking out -J_

I keep my answer short and to the point before grabbing my mother and ushering her out of the store.

_J-Don't let him call fucking the cops. On our way home now -E_

His response scares the hell out of me.

_E- Too late. He's trying to get a restraining order against her and her whole family -J_

"Mom, you need to call dad right now and tell him that he's making a big fucking mistake," I command as I help her into the car, "Dad and Jake got into it tonight and Dad is trying to get a restraining order against Bella and her whole family. James sent me a text."

She turns to look at me, her heart-shaped face worried, "Oh my goodness Edward, why would he do something like that?"

I pick up her cell phone and shove it into her little hands, "I don't have a clue mother, that's why you need to call him and chew his ass out before I just say hell with it and kick the shit out of him myself for being a jackass."

Esme shakes her head as she scrolls through her contact list, "Don't talk about your father like that Edward. This is just one more misguided attempt to protect you. Where do you think you get your flare for overreacting?"

I roll my eyes as we pass a white Buick like it's standing still, "Yeah mom, like Dad is the only one of my parents who ever overreacts in a situation."

"Watch the road son," she instructs as she puts the phone to her ear. It's answered very quickly and Esme doesn't waste any time. "Carlisle Augustus Cullen, I am absolutely disgusted with you!" she shrieks into the mouth piece, "If you file one single restraining order or any other legal measure against Bella Swan or any member of her family, I swear I will be filing for divorce bright and early tomorrow morning! That girl and her family were among the only people that stood up for our son when he was taken away from us by that awful man! How dare you repay them like this?! I think it's atrocious and I'm very offended that you would do something like this without my informed consent! Yes, well, in your dreams mister! There is no way that I will ever agree to that kind of recourse!" She slams the phone shut and throws it in her purse with a huff.

Stealing a quick glance at her informs me that asking her about what just transpired might not be the smarted thing to do right now. My fingers twitch on the steering wheel when I think of calling Bella to get their side of the story, but the storm cloud over Esme's head convinces me that another phone call would not be welcomed, so I keep my jaws firmly locked for the rest of the drive home.

As soon as we pull into the garage, Esme retrieves her crutches from the backseat as I rush to open the door for her. She gives me a feather light peck on the cheek, "Go to your room after you bring those bags in while your father and I discuss things son. Don't worry, I won't let him keep you and Bella apart for much longer. I have a plan."

I help her up the front stairs before tending to the shopping bags stowed in the trunk. Even with a bum foot and hobbling on crutches, Esme can out shop women half her age. It's hard to believe that she had been injured under 24 hours ago, the way she took the shops in Port Angeles by storm.

James materializes to aid in toting the bags into the house, holding his tongue until I move my mother's vehicle into the safety of the garage. As I start up the stairs, he grabs my arms, "Edward, we have to talk man." He tugs on the limb he has a death grip on until I sit down on the step below him.

"I'm sorry I have to be the one to tell you this, but your dad is a real douchebag," James begins, "He said some shit to your girl and her uncle that made me want to cut his balls off."

With a heavy sigh, he begins retelling the events that occurred while Esme had been dragging me to nearly every store in Port Angeles, from Jake choking my father to Bella's silent acceptance of his and Victoria's relationship. He even includes Bella and Victoria's open desire to spend time alone from time to time.

"The thing is man, "James concludes while fishing the last cigarette out of his pack, "Bella isn't even sure what is going to happen with you two. She said as much. I can't say that I blame her, between your hiding and Carlisle's temper tantrums, I'd be confused too."

What? Wait! She's not sure what she wants?

"What....do you mean.....she's not...sure?.....Like, she.....does not.....may not want........ to be with.....me?" I wrestle with the words, forcing them out, the fear that has crept in strangling both my body and mind.

"Oh, I think she has an idea of where she wants it to go man, "James admits sincerely, "I mean, she invited me down to a party at her place this weekend coming up and asked if I could sneak you out with me. I just think that she doesn't want to be presumptuous that you would still want to be with her like that."

My eyes snap up from the wood grain I had been following to his smirking face, "Like what?" Why the fuck is he making me pry every little thing out of him?!

He rolls his eyes and pats my shoulder, "Like your girl, you dumbshit. You know, how you guys were before you ended up a UFC reject? Sometimes I swear you are the dumbest fucking genius I've ever met."

The only response I can muster is flipping him the middle finger before being sucked into my thoughts. James is respectful, for once, sitting silently and massaging my shoulders while I ruminate on the events of the past few days.

Does she want to be with me? After all this time? We haven't actually talked about the possibility yet. But how could she not know how I feel about her? The closest thing to those words I have allowed myself to use with her was calling her _my love _at every possible chance to do so. I have already conveyed that there is no future for me without her and that I want us to do all of this together.

Has she been hurt so badly that she no longer believes I love her?

I can't bear the thought. Yes, it stunned me when she had told me that she wanted to say those three words, but I wanted to say them back so badly that it hurt. It still hurts. I can't escape my own fears though. When she said that she wanted to say them, was it just the ghost of how she _had felt_ or was it because of what she _still feels_?

If she still feels the way I do, how can I ever be good enough?

Friend, confidant, boyfriend, lover, protector. I'm selfish enough that I will be happy with whatever role she wants to me play in her life, as long as she includes me in it. I know what I want to be to her, but I will keep my fucking mouth shut until I have a better idea about how she feels.

Regardless of what our relationship becomes, I won't leave her alone again. If I end up being one lucky motherfucker and she wants to be with me once more, as my girl, I'll do my damnedest to be worthy of that position every single day of our lives.

James smacks the side of my head as he finally stands, "Well, let's go see if there's anything left of your dad now that Esme has stopped shrieking like a drunken banshee."

I follow him up the stairs, "Sorry Jay, but I don't really give a damn about Carlisle right now. I'm going to grab a shower and get some of my school work done before I call her tonight."

He shrugs, a smirk gracing his features, "Can't say that I blame you man." All is silent as we pass the first level landing and ascend towards the second. "I should probably get some shit done too. Tori wants me to call her before I go to bed." He turns down the hallway that leads to his room, as we reach the second level, " Tell Bella I said hello. Night."

I wave to him as I continue up the stairwell to my third floor room, "I will. G'night."

I check my phone twice for any messages from Bella as I gather my tee shirt and flannel pants, and once more before sitting it on the bathroom vanity and stepping into the shower. It's 10:15 pm when I get out so I shave and brush my teeth then head into my room to finish the work that had been given to my mother last Monday. I have to get it done so it can be turned in bright and early Monday morning. I wonder if I can convince Esme to let me take it in, thus giving me a chance of seeing Bella before next Monday?

Procrastination is not my usual thing, but shit has been too crazy to get it all done and although I know it's due tomorrow, I still feel no urge to finish it. I'd rather be sneaking into Bella's room to do our homework together, like we used to in middle school. 11:07. Oh my fucking god this night is taking forever! I push away my English work, revealing my car keys. Oh shit.

Do I take it as a sign and go to her?

Yes I do.

I grab a hoodie and pull it on before yanking a pair of jeans on over my pj's and stuffing my feet into a pair of sneakers before snatching up my cigarettes, phone, and car keys and dashing downstairs. I have to sprint back up for my glasses, but this time I also remember to get my wallet before going back down, disarming the alarm and sneaking out to the garage.

Unfortunately, I realize I'm left with only one option of transportation unless I want to chance it on my dirt bike. Ugh. I'm going to have to take the Volvo if I don't want to get caught. It's engine is a hell of a lot quieter than my Camaro and it's already sitting outside of the garage so I don't have to worry about the door alerting anyone in the house of my escape. Anything for her, including driving the Hunchbackmobile. Now I just have to hope that Jake or Jasper don't catch me and shoot my ass.

I swiftly get in the car and turn the key enough to get control of the steering wheel. It's a bitch to push the car from the far side building and passed the house, but thankfully the entire driveway after that gently slopes down hill. Coasting the vehicle a half mile down the driveway before starting it is the easiest part of the plan so far. Yeah, what plan dipshit? I snicker to myself.

As the Volvo eats up the distance between us, I begin to think about what I am going to say to her. Multitudes of poetic quotes swarm my brain and are systematically tossed aside in favor of another. Nothing seems to fit, of course, because how do you say you're sorry for disappearing for two years but still love her more than life itself?

My mental butchering of fine literature is abruptly cut short when the car lurches around me and then stalls. I guide it to the shoulder and make a quick list of what could be wrong before spazzing out. I close my eyes and count to ten slowly whilst my hands remain firmly glued to the steering wheel.

On the number ten I turn the key once more. "Please start," I beg, "Don't do this, not tonight." The car gods must be listening tonight because after two seconds of uncertain chugging, the cars engine roars to life and begins humming lazily under the hood.

I let it idle for another minute before shifting into drive and returning to the road. I hope to hell nothing else goes wrong with this car while I'm on this little adventure or James is going to end up really pissed off if I have to call him in the middle of the night for a rescue.

I have no more trouble on my journey to my kismet's domicile, luckily. I park almost 100 yards away after driving the last mile with no headlights on, hoping not to draw any attention. After hiking my way through the surrounded forest, I keep to the treeline as I circle the house until I reach the side where Bella's room resides.

Shit. The wall of glass panes that now span the back of the house confuses me to which particular set belong to her bedroom. The wall-to-glass conversion was still in progress when I left and even back then I had trouble identifying Bella's room in the dark. I usually ended up climbing the trellis and snaking in the large window up in the attic, then make my way to her if she didn't already have her window open for me.

The longer I gape at the glass wall, that was in no small part inspired by the one in my parents home, the better my old way of sneaking in sounds. I check the time on my phone. 11:30 pm, it taunts me in bold blue type. I resist the urge to launch the damn thing towards the ocean when my mind is made up for me. I can hear Seth barking from the other side of the house, greeting someone. Could he smell me?

Before someone decides to set him free to inspect things, I race to the trellis and begin to climb as fast as I can. This part is easy, like riding a bicycle. My hands instinctively remember where to go and my feet know which beams squeak when too much pressure is put on them. When I reach the top and have the window looming, another thought comes to me too late.

What if the window doesn't open?

_Of course it will open idiot, you're destined to be together and shit, remember?_

Of course!That's why I had to spend two years in a living hell. Gee, thanks, you shouldn't have.

_Shut the fuck up you whiny little bitch and open the window already._

How many times do I have to tell you to shut up before you go away?

_How many breaths do you have left before you die?_

That entirely depends if I get caught or not.

_I'll get back to you then. Now move that ass!_

I reach up and grasp the windowsill, taking a deep breath before giving it a tug. To my elation, it swings open quietly with ease. I widen the gap just enough to slither through, expertly hooking the window and pulling it shut behind me as I fall to the floor.

As I get to my feet, I survey my current surroundings. Not much has changed except for the mountain of holiday decorations tucked away in boxes in the far corner. My eyes flit over the black hole that is the enclosed stairwell leading to the res of the house and instead glue themselves to the five foot tall door to my left. The memory of the last time I was in this place hits me like a freight train.

_I push open the small wooden door and dip my head down, gently tugging her hand as I enter the hidden space. Before I can warn Bella, again, about ducking, her head bounces off of the door frame as she blindly follows my steps. _

_I can't stifle the laugh that erupts from me while I break her fall yet again. "You need to be more careful love or there won't be enough of you left for me to come back to," I warn her, unable to relax my hold on her just yet. _

_Her eyes, darkened to mocha, draw mine in and refuse to let go. With a sad smile playing at her plump lips, she brushes a few strands of hair that have fallen in my eyes away from my face and tucks them behind my ear, her touch sending jolts of pleasure through my body. My eyes fall closed at her loving ministrations and a shiver courses through me. I feel her raise her other hand and it comes to rest against my other cheek. _

_I am lost in her gentle caress until something snaps in me and I am consumed by the need to touch her. I try to steady my voice, I don't want to frighten her with the emotions threatening to consume every rational thought. "Can I touch you Isabella?"_

I pull myself away from the memory and slowly head down the stairs while straining to hear any signs of life. When I'm convinced all is quiet, I slip through the door and ghost down the dark hallway in the direction of her bedroom. As I reach her door, my stomach twists itself into knots. I take a few cleansing breaths before placing my hand on the doorknob and turning it.

When the door falls open, my nostrils are assaulted with the intoxicating aroma that is Bella. Strawberries and cream, her favorite shampoo since we were little, and the touch of freesia that is simply Bella herself. I close my eyes and lose myself in her scent for an infinite moment before padding through the blackness, over to her bed. I see her curled into a ball, her entire form hidden under a pile of blankets. I fight the urge to crawl up the bed and lay down beside her, but it doesn't feel right, so I opt to kneel on the floor instead. I kills me that her angelic face is hidden beneath the layers of fabric, but I'm too much of a chicken shit to move them just yet.

I carefully lay my hand on her head, leaning close enough for her to hear my whisper, "I've waited for so long to see your beautiful face and now I don't have the courage to anything except steal into your room in the middle of the night. Like the villain that I was forced to become, I cannot bear the thought of you rejecting me in the light as I profess to you, once again, my undying love. Whether you'll have me as we once were or as nothing closer than a friend, know this Isabella, I love you and only you."

I feel her begin to shake beneath my hand and my heart leaps with anticipation and fear. Is she crying? "Oh no, what have I done? Bella? Love? I didn't mean to frighten you." Her arms snake up the covers, one hand grasping the comforter, the other reaching for the lamp. As she pushes the blankets away from her face, the small light clicks on, to reveal blonde hair and steel grey eyes...."Jasper?!" I choke and fall onto the carpet.

"Well, it's lovely to see you too Romeo," Jasper chuckles, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and standing, "but I guess it's a good thing I saw you sneaking across the yard instead of Leah. She probably would have shot you. Nice speech though. I didn't know you still had it in you to be a hopeless romantic."

Confusion fades into irritation as I get to my feet, "Dammit Jasper, those fucking words were only ever meant to be heard by her!"

Jasper crosses the space to his sister's vanity and picks up a pack of cigarettes. He lights two, handing on to me before lowering himself onto the stool in front of the vanity. "Sit," he points to a giant bean bag chair tucked into into the corner. I comply, somewhat grateful that Jasper hasn't taken the opportunity to kick my ass for sneaking into his little sister's room.

His mercurial orbs dance with unsuppressed mirth, "You know, this wouldn't have been so embarrassing if you would have just called Bella to see if she was home Eddie. This could all be happening over at Alice's house if you'd done that though. Of course, you also would have had to deal with interrupting their first girls' night with Rosalie and you know how Ali hates us boys breaking up her girl parties."

"You mean she's not even here?!" I ask and drop my head into my hands, shame filling me. "All of this was for nothing then. I must have misread the signs, seeing what I wanted to see."

"What signs?" Jasper inquires as he presses a button on a remote. I instantly recognize the music being played. It's one of the songs I had recorded myself playing for Bella that summer.

"Well, I was losing my fucking mind waiting to call Bella and tried to distract myself with schoolwork. It didn't fucking help. I kept thinking about how much I wanted to see her. Everything on the pages were nothing but a blur of garbage so I shoved it across my desk. That's when I saw my car keys. It was like fate was telling me to go to her, so I grabbed them and took off." I shake my head and let out a loud sigh, "I should have known when the car stalled that I was just making myself see that I was meant to come here."

He chuckles and hands me a Pepsi from Bella's mini fridge, "Your car actually stalled? When? Is that why it's hidden in the bushes up the road?"

I shrug, too embarrassed to admit trying to hide the Volvo, "Um, it was right after I turned south to come here." Why would that even matter now?

Jasper's low chuckling turns into loud, belly shaking guffaws, "Don't you see it Cullen? The fucking car stalled when you turned to come here instead of Alice's! You were supposed to turn north, not south! Evidently fate still has a sense of humor and your ass just got pwned!"

Although his assessment is simultaneously accurate and ludicrous, I cannot stop myself from joining in on his carefree laughter.

Suddenly, the door is thrown open and Jacob lunges through, carrying a shotgun that he proceeds to level in our direction. "Oh shit!" I yelp and dive to the right, only to crash head first into Jasper, who had also decided to dodge his uncle's firearm. Our heads collide with a resounding _thunk _and we fall in a heap to the floor.

Jacob and Leah's fit of laughter draws my attention away from the throbbing pain that has started in my head. I feel the heat on my face as I stand and face my kismet's aunt and uncle. Visions of the many painful ways in which I am about to meet my demise fly through my addled brain.

"Well, well, if it isn't Edward Cullen," Jacob's husky tenor, still tinged with unabashed amusement, slows the multitudes of death scenes, "It's good to see you and all, son, but how in the hell did you get in here and what are you doing in Bella's room when she's not home?"

Jasper catches my eye as he darts to stand at my side, "I let Edward in Jake. He wanted to talk some about him coming back to school and since Emmett is snoring loud enough to wake the dead in my room, I brought him in here. Bella told me earlier I could sleep in here tonight if Em got too much, so when Edward came over, well, you can see the result."

Leah's gaze shifts between the two of us, "So what was the noise about? It sounded like hyenas were dying in here."

It's my turn to face their scrutiny, "I was telling Jasper about how screwed up that the Volvo was acting up on the way here. I think my dad might have sabotaged the damn thing. It stalled about a half mile up the road and instead of bugging you guys with it, I pushed it off the road and was just going to call a tow truck when I left. Jazz thought it was hilarious and was razzing me about it."

"Alright, but it's almost midnight and although you don't have school yet, Jazz does," Jacob informs us, "So let's go see if we can get your car started. If not, I'll take you home and you can come get it tomorrow, okay?"

Like I'm going to argue with a man still holding a fucking shotgun?! "Yes, sir," I turn and stick my hand out to Jasper, "It was really good seeing you again Jazz. Tell Bella and the demented evil pixie that I said hello and I can't wait to see them."

He grabs my arm and pulled me into a brief hug. "I will tell them first thing tomorrow," he vows, "It was good to see you too. I'm glad to have my brother back because now I have someone else to torture besides Em."

Jake leads me downstairs, stopping at the closet next to the front door to retrieve a flashlight, and we trudge out to the Volvo. The flashes of thunder from the approaching storm make me jump, which invites another round of snickering from the giant Quileute.

He doesn't say a word as we make our way to the car, but I notice a slight smirk on his lips. I try to talk a few times, but only end up gaping like a fish until he rolls his eyes and pats my shoulder. "She'll be fine Edward, now that you're home," he assures me as we reach my car, "Now try to see if this high priced hunk of junk will start for you now."

I nod and hastily comply as Jake lifts the hood. The engine sputters once before it comes to life. "Sounds like you might have water in your gas line Edward," his voice rings out from under the hood, "I'm going to follow you home to make sure you don't get stranded because I'm fairly certain that Carlisle and Esme are unaware of your late night trip?"

I bob my head once, my cheeks burning again. "You would be correct in your assumptions, sir," I answer quietly. Damn! I haven't blushed this much since the first few days after meeting James!

He drops the hood, and after ensuring that it is secure, strolls over to the drivers side window. "Since when did I become sir instead of Uncle Jake boy? I'm a little fucking insulted right now, but I'll try to overlook it because I know you're just nervous about being around all of us again. That and being caught in Bella's room." His dark eyes sparkle with humor as my fading blush makes a return, "Stay here, I'll be back with my car in a minute."

I nod in acknowledgment and pull my cell phone as he lopes off into the darkness. One new message, it's from Bella.

_It's 12:15, I'm worried because you haven't called. Trouble from your dad?_

Shit! What am I going to tell her? Jasper will tell her everything, probably, but that would take way to long to text, so I keep it simple.

_Car trouble, nothing serious. Be home in about 15 minutes. Will call then, if you wish._

Her answer comes quickly. Jake's headlights appear from the garage so I have just enough time to read it before he's on me.

_Yes, I wish. If you have any more trouble, call and I'll come get you, Carlisle be damned._

Jacob stops beside me in his big red dual-wheel pick up, "Ready?"

"Whenever you are Jake," I laugh, his name rolling easily from my tongue once again. He chortles and waits for me to pull onto the road, then follows behind.

The rain promised by the thunder begins to fall as I drive through the reservation. Once out on the main road, I hurriedly answer Bella so she doesn't begin to worry more than she already is.

_Understood, but your uncle's got it covered. Home in about 8 minutes. Patience is a virtue Isabella._

I wait until after I turn onto my parents driveway before checking her reply.

_Not right now it isn't. I miss hearing your voice._

I park the car and rush to my room, grinning like a fiend at her message. She misses hearing my voice?! Maybe this will go better than I'd hoped. I scroll through my contacts until I find her number, pressing send with a trembling finger. It rings only once.

"Hello Edward," she answers, her voice seemingly breathless.

I can feel the smile spread across my face as I hear her voice."Hello Isabella. So, you miss my voice?"

"Of cou-I mean, yes, I miss your voice," she stammers, "I miss everything about you."

In my head, I can see the crimson flood her pale cheeks at her last admission. "Don't be embarrassed love," I assuage her, "I miss you too, every single part of you." After the words are out, I smack myself in the forehead because of the double meaning that could be construed from that phrase. I'd be a liar if I said I didn't miss her in that way as well thought.

"Why were you out?" Bella asks out of nowhere, "Shit. You don't have to answer that, I was just--"

"Bella, it's alright," I interrupt," It's kind of embarrassing, but I had snuck out to come and see you. I didn't know that you were staying at Alice's tonight. The Volvo did, evidently, and was giving me a hard time. I wish I'd listened and turned north instead, then I could have gotten killed sneaking into Ali's house to see my kismet."

"Oh god Edward," she gasps, "Jake didn't catch you, did he?"

"No, luckily," I admit as I drop onto my bed and tug my wet shoes off, "But finding Jasper in your bed sure scared the shit out of me. Before you get upset, we just talked Isabella, I swear." I put the phone on speaker and sit it on the bed, while I also discard my dampened jeans and hoodie. "We did get the crap scared out of us by your aunt and uncle, but Jazz covered for us."

"What about your car, is it okay?" I can hear a lighter flick through the phone.

"Jake said that there might be water mixed in with the gas, but I still have my other car so I'm not too worried," I explain while fingering my annoying cast. Maybe I can get the damn thing off this week, it's almost time anyways.

"Do you want me to come over? You sound a little rattled," she confesses, worry seeping back into her tone, "I can be there in no time."

I look at my alarm clock. 1:09 am. "No Isabella, not in this storm and certainly not at this late hour. As much as I love the idea of you curling up on this bed next to me, I would rather you be safe at Ali's house. Need I mention that you need to get some sleep soon? You still have school tomorrow." Then an earlier thought pushes itself to the forefront as she grumbles about the banality of high school, "Besides, if things work out right, I might be stopping there around lunch time to drop of my work and pick up this week's assignments. Don't get your hopes up though, Esme might not let me."

When she speaks, her tone is morose, "I understand Edward. She probably hates me as much as your dad does and is just better at hiding it."

"That's not true Bella!" I hiss at her, throwing myself against the pillows, "She has stood up for you every time my father has said anything negative about you or your family love. She wants us to be together and is willing to fight for us." I clamp my hand over my mouth, astounded at my absolute lack of control over my words tonight. Only her silence provokes me into rushing into speaking again."I'm sorry Bella, I didn't mean that I, she was going to force a rela—"

"Edward," Bella cuts me off, "I get it, your mom wants us to be the way we used to be and you don't feel the same way. It's been two fucking years, I'm not stupid enough to believe that you haven't lived your life during that time. Just know this, no matter what I end up being in your life, I promise to never let you down or abandon you. Okay?"

The pain in her voice is impossible to ignore as she mirrors the thoughts that have been ravaging my mind since I came back to Forks. I choose my words as carefully as I can. "Isabella Marie Swan, you are my life. When I left, when I told you that you had to find a destiny without me, I just wanted you to be happy. I knew I never would be without you, but I truly believed that there was no reason for you to be miserable when I could carry it for both of us. I didn't want to let you go, but I had to. I didn't know how wrong I was."

"What do you mean?" she asks me hesitantly. I can hear her sniffling softly and it makes my heart break that I cannot comfort her as I desperately want to.

I light a cigarette and grab the ashtray from the nightstand. "I couldn't carry it love, it was too much. I couldn't do anything without thinking of you. And as much as I wished for you to be happy, I also wished that you would wait for me, like you had promised. I'm such a selfish son of a bitch. You deserved happiness and I dreamed of you being the lonely angel until I could find you again. What kind of monster am I?"

"You are not a monster Edward, " Bella snaps, annoyed by my bringing up our last night together, I'm assuming, "I know exactly what you mean when you say you wanted me to be happy but wished that when we found each other, we discovered that both of us had waited. I understand because I feel the same— Oh shit. That's just fucking wonderful."

"What's wrong Bella?" I ask, panic rising in me as I sit up.

She lets out a sigh, "The fucking power just went out. Lovely. I have to go, I can hear aunt Kate coming this way and she'll flip if she finds out that I'm still awake. I miss you. So much."

There is so much more I want to say to her, but I resign myself to waiting, yet again. "Okay, but call me if you need anything. I-I miss you too Isabella." I hang up then, simply to stop myself before those three words came tumbling out.

Tonight, I don't worry about what dreams I may have, because reality has just gotten so much better. Why? Because she wants me as more than just a friend and she might have said _I miss you_ but I could finally hear what she was truly meaning.

Isabella still loves me.

_Of course she does, you fucking noob._

Now I just have to be patient until I get to see her, hold her, and remind her of how much she means to me.

_You mean how much you love her._

Obviously.

The cadence of the falling rain eventually begins lulling me to sleep around 2:30 am and I let it.

I'm startled awake by someone knocking on my door. I roll over and look at the clock. It's face is black. Damn, we must have lost power too.

The door swings open and my mother limps in on her crutches, carrying a folder. "This is your work for the week," she informs me as she sets it on my desk, "School was canceled today due to the power outages, but I stopped there on a whim on my way back from the hospital and the secretary already had them waiting. Late night?"

I stretch and sit up, "Is dad home?"

She shakes her head no.I talked to Bella last night until Alice's house lost power and Kate came to check on them. I was going to ask to pick up my own work today so I could at least get a few minutes to see her, but fate, it seems, is not ready for that."

Esme hobbles over and seats herself on the edge of the bed before taking my hand, "Maybe it's not fate that isn't ready, maybe it's you and Bella. It's been such a long time since the two of you have seen one another dear. There are so many things that needed worked out and many more that still do. Stop trying to make things happen or the outcome you are hoping for could be compromised."

I chuckle softly, "Are you telling me to be patient mother?" I had just told Bella those same words last night.

She nods and presses her lips to my forehead before resting her free hand on my cheek, "It is a virtue Edward, even now. Take your time with this and let the chips fall where they may. If the twinkling in those glowing green eyes of yours are any indication to how you still feel for her, then it will be worth the wait, in the end."

"She will always be worth waiting for, "I confess, "I love her. I've loved her for forever mom. Nothing will change that, not even dad."

My mother smiles and bobs her head, "Oh, I think your father is beginning to see the light. He just needed reminded that no one is perfect and we all make stupid mistakes in our lives. We had a little talk about some of the mistakes he made in his younger days and let's just say he's not going to be calling the police on Bella or any of her family and friends any time soon."

"Does that mean I can go see her and he's not going to throw a fit?" I ask, excitement overriding my other emotions. Maybe I could go today!

The sigh that comes from her is enough to defeat me. "Rome wasn't built in a day Edward. Much like you and Bella, he needs time to adjust to how things are going to be around here now that you're back home with us."

I pull my hands away and rub my face, "He needs time to adjust? What about me? I'm trying to get my life back and he's screaming all this bullshit about Bella. He knows how much she means to me, he has to. He was the very first person I told that I loved her."

She rubs my back lovingly, "I know I'm asking a lot, but please be patient with your father. He's so scared of losing you again that it makes him a little crazy sometimes. Never forget that we love you more than anything, Edward, and we truly want you to be happy."

I let her pull me into a hug, "Mom, Bella makes me happy, she always has and always will. I just wish he could see that."

Her soft laughter shocks me. "Edward, he does see it, in a way, and that is some of what scares him. He's so glad that you're growing up but frightened that you're not a little boy anymore. Look, when you were taken from us, your dad and I had our own myriad of problems. I started drinking too much to kill the pain and...well...your dad had another outlet...cocaine....he ended up in rehab. He was only out a few weeks when you called us from the hospital. "

"Yeah, he told me when you guys came to Chicago," I qualify, "One of those nights that the police came and wanted me to give them more shit on what big Ed made us do."

"Oh," is all she says and the room falls silent for a while. Finally, she grabs her crutches and gets to her feet, "I'm going down to make us some lunch sweetheart. James is with Victoria, she's helping him with his schoolwork at her house, and your father is at work so it's just us today."

I scurry to her aid, "I thought dad didn't go in until late today." Esme brushes a few locks of her caramel hair out of her face, "That was the plan until Dr. Greer's wife went into labor prematurely and had to have a c-section. He's working doubles the days this week, but will be off all weekend so we can take you and James school shopping in Seattle."

Wonderful, there goes my weekend.

**Okay, I know you're getting anxious, but they will be meeting face to face soon, please hold on a little while longer.**

**Reviews are a lot less embarrassing than Edward confessing his undying love to Jasper by accident!**

**For anyone who doesn't like that idea**

**REVIEW OR DIE.**


	9. Chapter 8 Suddenly I See

**If you think I own anything that's copyrighted, you'd be wrong, but I've kissed a girl and I liked it. A lot. **

**A/N: My kids started school this week, so things might be a little dicey until I get my rhythm back, please be patient. You know I'll do my best not to let you guys down because I love you so damn much!**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 8**

**Suddenly I See**

**~Bella~**

"Why isn't he coming to the party tomorrow night?" Rosalie asks, her violet eyes flashing up from the deep red nail polish, I think the color is called 'Fuck Me Red', she was applying to her toes."I mean, it is your seventeenth birthday party we're talking about here."

I light a cigarette and inspect the fresh coat of black paint on my own toes, "For the millionth time Rose, his parents are taking him and James to Seattle to go shopping for school supplies. Edward doesn't want to go, but Carlisle is still being a dick about everything."

"That really fucking sucks Bellie. Carlisle must have decided this shit at the last minute because I had no warning," Alice whines from her spot beside Rosalie on my bed, "I bought you the perfect outfit and everything. Oh well, maybe you could wear it to school on Monday. He is definitely going to be there then, I've seen it."

"The fucker had to have known about the party weeks ago from Esme," I huff and close the bottle of polish, "Otherwise Carlisle would never have given up a weekend off to go to Seattle for something as mundane as school shopping."

Alice snickers while admiring her own sparkling purple nails, "Mom told me that Esme still isn't really speaking to Carlisle. She is royally pissed that he would say such bad shit about all of us. I hope she's making his sorry ass sleep in his car."

"Fuck that pixie," Rosalie scoffs and lights her own smoke, "The wanker needs to be sleeping at the hospital, without the use of that beautiful Mercedes, if you ask me. No, wait, scratch that, he sounds like the type to be giving the shift nurses some private overtime."

I get to my feet and tip-toe over to one of the large windows, unlatching and pushing it open to let the smoke out, "I don't think so Rose. As much of a certifiable dick that Carlisle has become, I don't think he would cheat on Esme."

Alice rolls her eyes, "Yeah, well that's partly because no matter how much money he makes, Esme will always have more. He owes his entire life to her, to be honest." She turns to the blonde bombshell to continue explaining." When Carlisle followed Esme to the US to escape his psychopathic father, he came with nothing except a suitcase full of clothes that she'd bought him. She paid for him to finish med school, their first house, everything. He would have been just another poor shmuck scraping his way through life if it hadn't been for her."

Rosalie's supermodel face is marred with a look of confusion, "Carlisle's father was a psychopath? Like a real one?"

"Yes he was," I admit quietly, "He was one lunatic motherfucker too. He was a minister who went loopy after his wife, Carlisle's mom, died. He was convinced that she was killed by fucking vampires. He started seeing shit everywhere. Vampires, werewolves, demons, even witches, and I don't mean the ones like Ali and her family. Anyways, he raised Carlisle to believe this shit. Well one night, they were on a "patrol" and his dad goes to attack some woman walking down the street, screaming that she was a vampire. Can you guess who it was?"

"Esme, I'm assuming," Rosalie answers, a sad smile crossing her face when I nod my agreement.

"Yeah, it was her," Alice picks up the thread, "He had recognized her from a book store they both frequented. She had always been kind to him, never judging his worn clothes or shy disposition. In turn, Carlisle couldn't believe that someone as beautiful and kind as Esme could be one of the monstrosities he father taught him about and tackled the older man right there in the middle of the road while screaming for her to run."

Suddenly there's a knock on the door. "Come in," I call out.

The door swings open to reveal a smirking Victoria. "Hey, sorry I'm late. Frankie asked me to stay and help her finish up the inventory in exchange for her taking my shift tomorrow night. I officially have the entire weekend off!" She drops her bag into my open closet then sits down beside me, leaning back against my dresser.

Alice giggles and tosses a box filled with bottles of nail polish at her, "Where's Jay on this fine Friday night? I'm surprised that him and Edward aren't trying to climb in the window yet."

"Um, actually I think him and Eddie are meeting up with Jazz and Emmett to indulge in some male bonding delinquency," Victoria confesses while perusing bottles of paint, "I personally think that James enlisted their aid in keeping Edward from killing his dad. He's been fucking livid since he found out that this little shindig was actually your birthday party and he can't be here." She looks around, "Where's Angela?"

"Her and Ben went out on a date," Rosalie replies, "I don't, for the life of me, understand how they can keep so proper. It would drive me mad!"

"What's scary is that Jake is with Jasper and Emmett. If aunt Leah gets a phone call tonight, it will most likely be to come bail their sorry asses out of jail," I chuckle as Victoria hands me a bottle of shimmery blue paint and plops her feet in my lap, "Ang and Ben have to act all innocent and shit because her Dad is a preacher and he's already threatened to send her away to an all girls school if he catches wind of her doing anything more than sitting by a boy. They will no doubt be sneaking off to one of the empty rooms in this place at some point tomorrow night."

"Do Jake and Leah know just how much shit goes down at this place?" Victoria inquires after stealing a drink from my Code Red.

I shrug as I begin to apply the lacquer, "They know some of it, for obvious reasons. Jake and Lee-Lee are the kind of people who would rather have shit happen under safe, controlled conditions that one of us get killed trying to sneak back home hammered. As for the sex, they know we have sex, if that's what you're asking. Ever since Jazz and the evil pixie got caught in the eighth grade, we've both been tested every six months for STD's and shit. I asked to go on the pill the first time I got my period for the simple fact that I hated the idea of it being random. The horrid cramps I had swayed them so it was no big deal in the end."

Alice's phone beeping and her responding groan captures our attention. "Tanya and the Ho Patrol are going to try to crash your party Bells," she warns, "Does that bitch have no clue that this isn't going to be a wild drunk fest? She's been trying to get your attention again ever since Tori started sitting with us at lunch."

"What is that all about Bella? I was under the impression that you hated her," Rosalie asks, eyes burning with curiosity.

I shrug a shoulder, "Truthfully? The summer going into my sophomore year, we hooked up a few times. She was the second girl I had ever had sex with but my first experience with dating girls. I won't lie and say that she was bad in bed, it either. What I didn't know was that she wanted nothing more than secret fuck sessions. I was dumb enough to think she was just scared about being outed as a bisexual and that's why we had to keep us a secret. I was really starting to have feelings for her when I caught her not only fucking someone else, but it was in this house, in my fucking bed, during a party Jazz and I were throwing. I freaked out and took off, while Alice kicked her ass for being such a useless cunt."

"I'd gladly do it again babe," Alice reassures me with a wink, her bright blue-green eyes twinkling mischievously, "It was fun whooping her scrawny ass. I never liked her anyways."

"So, who was the first girl you ever made it with?" Rosalie playfully inquires.

Luckily her focus is once again on her nails or she would have caught the guilty look that passed between Alice and I. If my brother ever found out that Alice had been the one to open my eyes to the sensual experiences of being intimate with a woman, he would freak and then probably try to get us to do it again so he could film it and sell it to Girls Gone Wild or some shit.

"Someone I met at one of Ali's parties who got tired of seeing me so frustrated all the time," I confess, after all, it did happen at one of her parties, "I never saw her again, which sucks because she was really fucking good at what she did." Please don't ask any more, I hate lying to you.

I'm saved from having to answer any more questions when Leah calls up through the intercom that the pizza has arrived and we abandon the conversation to fill our stomachs. Afterwords, we pull out the air mattresses and extra blankets and set everything up in the living room for a night of movies with my aunt.

We're having so much damn fun that I can't feel guilty that Victoria snuggles close to me under the blanket while we settle down and watch movie number three, Sweeney Todd. James has already given his consent and Edward won't mind me indulging in a bit of cuddling with someone I've come to care a great deal about.

After a week of talking to Edward over the phone, we have made it clear that we do want to be together, but also understand that we have to get to know each other again before that can be true in every sense. I told him about my immersion in the lesbian lifestyle and he confessed his occasional intimacy with James. Neither of us could bring ourselves to even consider thinking about letting someone of the opposite sex touch us let alone actually trying to do it. In the end, the promise had been kept on either side.

He confessed that he is now seeing a therapist because of some of the terrible things that happened to him when he was stuck with Masen. He explained the fight him and Masen got into the resulted in Edward being hurled out of a warehouse window while grappling with the fuctard. Although he is not ready to divulge all of the details of those atrocities, he promised that one day we would talk about it, face to face.

Because it's tit for tat, I told him about my breakdown after he left, including the suicide attempt that almost worked and had left me hospitalized for a week after Jasper found me floating face down in the ocean. It's fucked up what a handful of prescription meds, a bottle of Jack Daniels, and an overpowering urge to stop hurting can do to a girl who has nothing to live for. He learned of the other half-hearted attempts and the fading scars that now grace my wrists as a result.

"Hey baby, where's your pretty head wandered off to?" Victoria's soft voice pulls me from my reverie.

I look up to see her neon blue orbs filled with worry. "It' nothing hun. Just thinking about the chaos I am so not looking forward to. Did I ever tell you how much I hate attention like that?"

"Oh, you mean your aversion to anyone doing nice shit for you?" she asks, cocking one fine eyebrow, "Once or twice, but Ali gave me the low down on it too and made me promise that I wouldn't help you in any way to escape tomorrow."

I nudge her shoulder with my own, "Fucking traitor. I thought you were my girl."

She wearily chortles, "I'll always be your girl Bells, but even I have learned never to cross Alice. She might be all about harming none but she's vicious when it comes to people she loves."

Leah unfurls herself from the couch and stretches her amazonian body, "Okay girls, it's almost 4 in the morning and we have a shitload of decorating to finish in the morning before we can think about having a party so it's time for bed."

We crawl into our chosen sleeping spots while my aunt sets the security system for the night. "I'm taking Seth upstairs with me so he doesn't bother you kids tonight, okay Bells?"

"That's fine Lee-Lee. Love you, "I answer as I hit the remote for the stereo. Enya starts playing softly. I stretch out on my mattress and sigh in contentment.

"Love you too aunt Leah!" Alice chirps from her air mattress, echoed by Rosalie from her spot.

"Oh what the hell," Victoria chuckles on the couch above me, "Love you to aunt Leah!"

"I love you too, every single one of you, Happy Birthday Bella," Leah warmly proclaims before turning the main lights off and stalking up the stairs.

"Thanks Mom! Night!" I yell as she fades from view. It's no surprise that I love her like a mother, I just don't use that word very often so it means more when I actually do say it.

"Welcome baby, now get to sleep!" is her response. It's an easy request to fulfill. As I drift deeper and deeper, I feel Victoria's hand snake under my blanket and intertwine her fingers with my own. I little smile still plays at my lips as I drift away.

The next morning, Jake, Leah, and Jasper wake me up at 9 am to spend a little time together and give me my presents before the madness breaks loose. Leah and Jake give me gift certificates for a few shops I love to go to in Seattle along with a special gift certificate to be used towards the tattoo I've been wanting to get. They also give me a new laptop because, according to Leah, my other one is only surviving through all the duct tape I have on it to keep the monitor attached. I also get a silver charm bracelet with a wolf that Jake hand carved out of wood and a diamond accented silver S initial that Leah found.

Jasper add to the charms with a black enameled swan, but also gives me a few new cd's I had been wanting and a new amp. The biggest surprises are when each one of them hands me a box. I open them to reveal rare editions of my three favorite classics, Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, and Romeo and Juliet.

Before I can make an ass out of myself with bawling like a baby, Jake presses one last gift into my hands. "This is from Edward honey," my uncle explains, "He's really upset that he couldn't be here. Maybe you should take it to your room and open it."

I stare at the blue wrapped box in my hands until Jasper nudges me, "I'll go with you baby girl, if you want me to. I promise I won't laugh."

I take his hand and let him lead me to my room where I drop into my bean bag chair and run my fingers over the box. "I wonder what it could be," I ponder while turning it over in my hands.

"You're going to have to open it sometime Bella," Jasper warns as he sits down beside me and wraps an arm around my shoulder, "Do you want me to do it?"

I shake my head and tug a corner of the wrapping paper free, jumping when the edge cuts my finger. "Damn!" I hiss, lifting my injured digit to inspect the damage. A drop of dark red blood is forming at the wound. "Fucking paper cut!"

Jasper grabs my hand and promptly sticks my finger in his mouth, sucking off the blood quickly. He then pulls it out and gives it a critical look, "You'll be fine Bells, no need to amputate."

I wrench my hand out of his grip and wipe my finger on my shirt, "What is it with you wanted to suck my blood all the time? You're one sick puppy BB."

He sticks his pierced tongue out at me, I notice a little skull sitting on his tongue. Fucking Alice. "Um, I remember when you used to faint when you smelled blood, little sis, so it's a hard habit to break, trying to get the blood gone as fast as I can before you spew chunks."

"Yeah right," I shove him and he falls sideways, "You're just a twisted lunatic who wants to get in his sister's pants."

He rights himself, still laughing, "Sis, if I wanted in your pants, I would just get in your closet and grab a pair. But that does make me think......" He winks at me, then snatches the box from my free hand and rips off the paper, "I want to see what he got you, so open the damn thing already! If you don't, I will."

Inwardly I roll my eyes at his impatience and slide the top of the box off. A folded piece of paper falls out of the lid, covering the gift.. My hands tremble as I pick it up and unfold it. Edward's flawless calligraphy brings tears to my eyes as I read.

_My Beloved Isabella,_

_Each and every day I am a better man for having known you, for having loved you. I still believe that we are destined to be together, my love, because I am nothing but a shadow, dark and hollow, without you in my life. I've counted the months until I am able gaze upon your beautiful face, the days until I can feast upon your plump lips, the hours before I may gaze into your soulful eyes, and the minutes it will be until I can embrace my destiny with you once more. I know that the time is finally drawing near, and yet it still feels like an eternity to wait. I yearn so badly to hold you safely in my arms and tell you those three little words and it's driving me mad that I cannot. So, to preserve what sanity I have left, I must ask a lone favor of you, my precious kismet._

_Take care of my heart, please, my angel? I'm leaving it with you._

_Happy Birthday Love_

_Yours Always,_

_Edward_

After wiping away my tears, I look down to the box again and see a necklace. Nestled amongst black velvet is a white gold heart pendant with tiny diamond studded hearts surrounding another rose hued diamond heart in the center. "Oh my god," I croak, "It's beautiful."

Jasper skims the letter, then gazes at the pendant. "Damn, that boy is good," he muses, "You can't tell Ali about this unless you want to help me spend six months finding a way to top it."

I take the letter and re-fold it before tucking it back into the lid, "You are such a fucking tool sometime Jazz. Help me put it on?"

He gingerly frees the necklace from the fabric, "Lift your hair up baby girl." I gather my mane up over my head and he deftly wraps the chain around my neck and clasps it. "Okay, let me see."

I twist my torso to face him and he lets out a low whistle of approval. "Nice Bells. There is no doubt how Edward feels bout you now kiddo, that's all I have to say."

I can feel my blush taking over my face, "Thanks BB."

He stands, pulling me up with him, "You might want to get out of your pj's now because I think Jake and Leah want to have breakfast with everyone before we get to work decorating." He gives me a hug, "Happy birthday Isabella. I don't mean to sound cheesy, but you really are the world's best sister. Love you."

I squeeze him to me, "And you are the best big brother, love you too. Cheesehead." He snickers and presses his lips to my forehead once before leaving me to dress.

Between decorating the yard, mad dashes to the store for forgotten supplies, Alice's insane squealing over Edward's gift, and an accident involving Jasper and Ben falling off of the roof of the back porch, Seth running around like a rabid chihuahua on crack, and strings of party lights that people keep trying to get strangled with. All of these elements combined resulted in Jasper's ass ending up in my birthday cake. Angela and Leah missed that part, having gone on a rush trip to Wal-Mart for more shit we forgot to get earlier in the week. My day is officially fucking insane.

Alice's mom and step-father, Kate and Laurent, appear just in time to witness Jasper falling off the roof and landing in my birthday cake that Jake and Emmett were carrying into the house. Quil and Embry show up around 2:30 pm and get drawn into the madness gleefully. Sam and Emily pop up around three to join the circus that everything has become and end up in the yard, laughing their asses off because everyone is still chasing each other around the yard with pieces of the ruined cake.

By the time Leah and Angela get home, any pretense of a formal party is long forgotten by the rest of us who decided that playing with squirt guns and four wheelers were more important than decorating. We do get lucky enough tonight. Tanya and her cheerleader friends must have caught wind of this being a private party and stayed the fuck away.

Sunday is spent cleaning up and hanging around the house in our sweats while watching bad movies and playing music. We don't have the energy for much else. As the weekend winds down though, my nerves begin to wind up. If Edward and his family made it home early enough, he was going to try sneaking over so we didn't have to wait to meet until we were in front of the entire teenage population of Forks High.

I can't wait to see him. I know he was supposed to get his cast off at some point this weekend, as long as Carlisle wasn't a jerk about it, so I had to rework the image of him in my head. I let my mind wander as I shower, trying to get an idea of what my kismet looks like now .

I was surprised to hear that he was now as tall as my brother, I'd always remembered him closer to my height. He had told me that his hair was shorter and his muscles were bigger. I swear I could hear his blush through the phone when he admitted that tidbit of information.

He confessed to me that he wore contacts most of the time now, but still had his glasses as backup. I couldn't admit to him that I loved seeing those glowing emerald eyes of his framed in glasses. He would end up calling himself a geek and then I'd have to also admit that's why I loved to see him in them.

I turn the faucets off and step into the steam filled space, biting my bottom lip as I think about how he always had that sexy-smart thing going on that just made me turn into jello. The hours all four of us wasted killing the shit out of each other playing World of Warcraft or watching Edward and Jasper argue over comic book heroes in the lone comic book store in Port Angeles before it shut down.

I swipe the condensation from the mirror and intently assess myself. In comparison to all of the other girls, I was rather plain. Rosalie's natural blond tresses and mile long legs could make a supermodel cry and her British accent made everyone drool. Alice might be tiny, but she had the body of a dancer, lean and muscled, and had the complexion of a porcelain doll. Victoria's near six foot frame had more curves than a mountain road and had more moves than a belly dancer. Even Angela was a unique beauty. Her hair reminded me of espresso and was always smooth and shiny. Her almond shaped eyes gave her an exotic appearance.

What did I have to keep his attention? I was in shape, but my once toned muscles now make me look stringy against the voluptuous women I'm surrounded by. With my meager tan rapidly fading, my skin is once more taking on a pallid hue, making me resemble a walking corpse. In the omnipresent shade, my eyes lose their luster and merely look shit brown in their sockets. My wavy hair is constantly frizzy and dull now that I don't have Alice to do her magic on it almost every day.

I finally tear myself away from my self criticism and brush my teeth before shuffling into my room to put on Edward's X-Men tee shirt and my black yoga pants. The alarm clock on my nightstand mocks me with the time, 10:35 pm, as I comb out my long hair before blow drying it.

At exactly 11 pm, my phone rings. I leap across the space and snatch it from my vanity, disconnecting it from the charger as I bring it to my ear. "Hey love," I answer, a smile already stuck to my face.

"Hey yourself angel," Edward responds, "How was your day?"

"Slow," I chuckle as I climb into my bed and fall against the pillows,"You?"

"Slow for me as well," his voice sounds sad. I feel my stomach drop.

"You're not coming over tonight, are you?" I have to get it out of the way now.

He sighs into the receiver, "I'm so sorry Bella, I hate to disappoint you like this. Dad waited until 10:45 to cut my cast off and now I'm sitting here soaking it in hot water before I go to bed. I'm kind of stuck this time love."

"Do you want me to come over then?" I offer, "I could keep you company, if you want."

He groans softly, "Oh, I wish you could Bella, but King Carlisle is expecting something along those lines to happen. He's already changed the codes to the security system and told my mother that he will give them to her in the morning. On the plus side, he's being forced to camp out on the couch tonight because mom locked all of the doors to the guest rooms and hid the keys from him because of it. She won't let him into their bedroom either."

I stifle a laugh by squashing my face into a pillow. I can hear his accompanying guffaws through the phone. "I forgot how big of a temper your mom had Edward," I admit once our fit of mirth settles, "Carlisle is going to be lucky if he gets to sleep in their room again by New Year's if he keep his shit up much longer."

"One can onl-- shit, I gotta go love, Dad's coming. I'll see you at school," he rattles of in a husky whisper, "I miss you."

"I miss you too," I hastily reply before he hangs up. "I love you Edward." I whisper as I close the phone.

The countdown has finally reached zero and Carlisle can no longer keep us from seeing each other. Tomorrow, after two years, three weeks, and 4 days, I finally get to see Edward.

Tomorrow I get to see Edward?

"Tomorrow I get to see Edward!" I squeal and do an awkward version of the stupid "happy girl in love" dance while lying across my bed. I'm such a fucking girl sometimes.

I'm too excited to sleep and by 3 am, I finally give up and pull out a few Red Bulls from my mini fridge before putting on some music. Homework or cleaning my room? Ugh, room first. Tidying my room turns into doing a few loads of laundry. Doing laundry evolves into pulling out another one of my bedding sets after stripping the bed down. When that's done, I fold my clothes up and put them away. After I'm out of things to do, I get ahead on my homework.

At 5:30 am, my phone rings. As soon as I answer, Alice is happily chattering at warp ten, "Oh my god Bella, I was going through my closet last night and found two whole bags of clothes that I meant to give you for your birthday and I forgot about them with everything that's been going on so I got up early this morning and am on my way over, don't worry I'm bringing obscene amounts of coffee, I know how you are in the mornings, and we're going to go through everything to make sure you have the perfect outfit for school today so you can knock Edward on his ass when he finally lays those gorgeous jade eyes on you!"

I light a cigarette and grin, "Ali, who gave you caffeine? Let me guess, you thought it was a good idea to drink a cup of coffee on your way?"

Her bell-like giggles echo in my ear, "Oh no, silly Bella, I didn't have coffee, I drank an espresso!"

Oh my fucking god. "Mary Alice Brandon, you are not going to sleep for days now!" I chide, "What the fuck were you thinking?! You know you don't tolerate caffeine! ADHD, emphasis on the hyperactivity, remember?!"

"I would be sorry if I didn't know how bad your fashion sense is," she retorts, "And on the account that I am the one who actually has a fashion line that people from around the world fall over themselves to get, I will be the one dressing you!"

"Alice, if the world knew they were scrambling over the wacky ideas of a seventeen year old hyper pixie on crack, I think you'd have bigger problems than helping me get dressed for school," I inform her as I pad downstairs to wait for the jacked up espresso fairy to arrive.

It takes a total of five minutes before I see the headlights come down the drive. I disable the alarm and lope out to the 911 Turbo that is coming to a stop.

"Morning Ali," I greet the tiny woman as she hops out of the vehicle and races to the trunk.

"Morning Bellie, you look like hell. Grab one of these bags, they weigh as much as I do!" she chatters and drags out a garbage bag stuffed with the implements of my impending torture.

"Gee, thanks a bunch for the compliment, Tinkerbell," I growl and drag the second bag out of the trunk, "Let's go play your stupid fucking game of dress up."

"Woo hoo! Bella Barbie time!" she squeals and skips into the house.

One hour and fifteen minutes later, I am buffed, polished, puffed, squished, and primped to what Alice deems perfection. She turns me to face the long mirror on my closet door with a "Ta-dah!"

The woman in front of me could give Embry and Quil a hard on. Her skin is a flawless, luminescent ivory, her vibrant auburn hair is piled into a messy halo of curls on top of her head. The sapphire blue handkerchief top matched with a pair of low slung hip hugging blue jeans that flare out slightly around a pair of black leather high heeled Mary Jane's. Her full lips are a paradox of innocence and sensuality, stained with a soft red but curved into a slight smile. Her eyes are smoky and playful, growing wide as the focus on the heart resting on her pale chest.

"Wow Alice, I look good," I admit, in awe of the miracle she's managed in such a short time.

"Yeah, well it's the best I could do, considering the limitations of your wardrobe," she snorts, handing me a form fitting black leather jacket, "But at least you'll get his attention this way. I'll be able to touch up your make up at lunch before you see him so don't worry. Now, get your bag Cinderella, it's time to go to the ball."

I give her a quizzical look as I retrieve my school bag, "What do you mean I won't see him until lunch and why didn't you tell me sooner?"

She giggles merrily as I open the door and Jasper is standing there, hand raised to knock. "Oh it's nothing Bella, Edward won't even be there until lunch. His father is having him come to the hospital for one more examination before he releases Edward because the school needs a release form for gym and stuff." With that, she leaps at my brother, who catches her by her tiny waist and swings her around once before lowering her to his lips.

"Get a room and I don't mean mine," I growl as I shove passed them and stomp down to the kitchen.

I'm just pulling a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit from the microwave when my phone starts going off. "Hello?" I answer while carefully wrapping my sandwich in a paper towel.

"Good morning Isabella, Happy Birthday," Edward answers, "Before I ask you about your party, I need to inform you that I won't be in school until lunch."

I snatch up my coffee and keys as I head to my baby, "I know, it's alright love. I'll be waiting. By the way, thank you for the gift. I'll take care of it the best I can, I swear."

"You're welcome love," his voice gains a husky tone, "and I meant every word. I couldn't sleep at all last night because of it. Not to change the subject and be a pain in the ass so early in the morning, but how did you know I wouldn't be there this morning? Are you stalking me?"

I only need to speak one word as I slide into the driver's seat. "Alice." I deftly switch over to my blue-tooth to drive, Jake and Leah would kill me otherwise.

His chortling brings a smile to my face. "That figures. How is the demented evil pixie doing? Still scaring people to death?"

I back the car out of the garage and get moving down the driveway, "Actually she had an espresso this morning so she could play her favorite game with me this morning before school."

"That's not good," he grumbles, "I thought all the idiots down at Starbuck's would have her on a banned for life list or some shit."

I laugh quietly, "She was until she started taking a new medication after the fiasco last Halloween."

"Oh god, what happened?" I can hear him light a cigarette. He's expecting an in depth story.

"Well, it started out innocent enough, we went trick-or-treating before the dance she was making all of us go to since she was on the planning committee. Anyways, Quil thought it would be funny to give her about half a dozen pixie sticks right before we went in. Things weren't too scary until someone gave her a drink spiked with tequila. We literally had to pry her off of the basketball hoop and drag her to the car. Sweetheart, I swear she was actually vibrating, she had so much energy. She didn't sleep for three days and her mom took her to the ER when she finally crashed because she couldn't wake her up." Did I just call him sweetheart? Yeah, I think I did. Oops.

His raucous laughter forces me to pull my blue-tooth off for a few seconds until he quiets down. "That sounds exactly like the Alice that I remember, I can't wait to see her again. So where are you now? Running more Volvo's off the road?"

That triggers a memory of the day I actually did that while racing Jasper to school. "Holy shit! That was you?!"

"How else would I know, my love?" he taunts, chortling once again, "Unless you always go around running random Volvo's off the road?"

"Only when they get in my way," I retort, smirking as I turn on to the main road, "I just left the rez, to answer your question. I'm not racing anyone today because Ali and Jazz felt the need to indulge in a quickie before school. Why do you ask?"

Suddenly a silver Camaro flies passed my window and pulls in front of me. Fucker. It has to be Edward.

"I was just wondering where you were at, I thought I was going to have to come and get you," Edward teases, "I love your car, by the way. It reminds me of you in so many ways. Beautiful, deadly, and lightning fast when it counts. I bet it rides like a dream."

I stomp on the accelerator, not being able to ignore the many connotations to his words, "Oh, she does Edward and no one knows how to make her move like I can."

"Oh, I think I could do more than make her move, Isabella, if given the chance," he purrs, his honeyed voice dropping an octave, "I bet I could make her scream for me."

I'm going to need a change of underwear when I get to school if we keep this up. "I don't know hun," I nearly pant, "She's only been touched by a woman for so long that I don't know how she would react to a man's touch after all this time, but it might be worth a try as long as I get a chance to drive that muscle car of yours."

I hear a clattering and him cursing, "Sorry, scratched my head and my earpiece fell off." Sure Edward, keep telling yourself that. "I wouldn't mind if you wanted to take may car out for a test drive. I think the last time a woman touched it was when it was rolled off the assembly line. I'd love to see what you could do with it."

I slow as I make it into town, "Is it an automatic or a stick shift?" I ask in my most innocuous voice in an attempt to mask the lustful trembling in it.

I hear him moan a "fuck" before he badly tries to mask it with a cough, "It, um, has a speed shifter my love so technically it's an, um, a manual transmission but luckily you don't have to fight with the stick to get it to react very quickly the way you want."

I can see the school approaching faster than I like, but there is nothing I can do. "I can't wait to try it out then love," I sincerely admit, "I've been wondering if the new Camaro's ride as good as the older ones. We'll have to work something out soon."

"We will, I promise you, my love," Edward fervently vows, "Until then, be safe, and I will see you in a few hours. I miss you Isabella."

I cannot contain my sigh of relief and longing as I turn into the lot and watch his car disappear around a curve in the road, "I miss you too. See you soon Edward." I take off the earpiece and toss it on the passenger seat. "I love you Edward," I proclaim within the confines of my Supra as I pull into a parking space and yank back the e-brake, "Always."

**~Edward~**

"I love you Edward, always," her voice is no more than a whisper as I end the call and take the uncomfortable blue tooth POS off of my ear and set it in the console. It takes every ounce of energy that I have not to turn the damn car around and kidnap her before she ever made it into the school.

To make things worse, better? we practically had phone sex while racing highly tuned pieces of machinery. I don't know what got into me to make me talk to her like that in the first place, but I'm not sorry that I did, with the exception of now having a throbbing erection that is threatening to burst out of my jeans. That is going to get me nowhere right now with having to go have my physical done and the x-rays to make sure my wrist is healed. The issue in my pants becomes nonexistent as I focus on Carlisle, so I continue my musings as I drive, though I'd rather be thinking of Bella and our not so innocent banter we'd exchanged.

Dad is pissed at me as it is. I hand cracked my cast on Saturday when he started his shit about staying clear of Bella at school as soon as we were out of mom's range of hearing. I'd punched the brick wall beside his head instead of his fucking face and he got even by refusing to cut it off until we got home on Sunday night.

Too soon, I find myself being poked and prodded by my father, who keeps trying to strike up a conversation with me about school but I studiously ignore his attempts, I don't want to get pissed off before I get to see her. I will not let Carlisle ruin this for me and Bella. We've been through so much already.

When my father is finished with the exam, he stops mincing words. "I mean what I said Edward, stay away from her," he warns as he leaves to conduct James' examination.

"Stuff it Carlisle," I growl as the door closes. I redress in a haze, pulling on my jeans, white tee shirt, and a dark blue long sleeved button up that I roll the sleeves up to my elbows on before pulling on my scuffed black boots.

On my way out to wait for James, I catch myself in the mirror. My damn hair is stick out all over the place so I take the time to wet it down and comb it back again. The effects won't last, but at least it is almost laying down for the moment.

Afterwords, I amuse myself by sending James, Emmett, and Jasper random messages. I have to stay busy or the clock will start running backwards simply to spite me and my need to see, to feel, my kismet. The memory of her scent is already floating through my head.

It seems like a lifetime before James steps out of his exam room, followed by my father, who mumbles something about getting our papers signed and disappears.

"Your dad is this fucking close to getting his teeth knocked out," James growls as he sits down to my left and stretches his long legs out, "The jackass had enough balls to try and tell me that I should break things off with Victoria since she runs with your girl and her crew."

I shake my head sadly, "I'm sorry about that man, he can be a real asshat. I guess this means that we might have to start working on a contingency plan if he starts taking this to extremes."

We begin working out a strategy until dad reappears with the paperwork that needs turned into the school, including a note for me that gets me out of gym for the next two weeks. He bids us good luck on our first day but manages to refrain from saying anything about the women we hold dear.

As we walk to the exit, I check the time, which causes me to grab Jame's arm, "Dude, we've got fifteen minutes until lunch, we have to haul ass if we're going to make it before lunch starts!"

He nods and we bolt across the parking lot and to our cars. "See you on the flip side bitch!" James yells as he pulls out of his spot. I swing my Camaro around and speed after him after a quick text to Bella that I was finally on my way.

At the speeds we drive, it takes us just under ten minutes to reach the cluster of building that has just become the most appealing place in the world for me, all because of her. I pull in next to a beat up red pick up, James on my tail.

I flick my cigarette out the window and glance around for any familiar cars. The tightness that has begun to build up in my chest recedes minutely when I discover that I can see Bella's Supra from here, along with Jasper's Mustang and Emmett's Rubicon. There is a yellow Porsche and a red BMW parked amongst them. Must be Alice and Rosalie's cars. At least they have good taste, at least better than the sad fucker who owns the rusted out pick up next to me. The damn thing is a death trap. I think I need another tetanus shot just from looking at it.

As I pick up my bag and exit the car, I notice how our vehicles stand out against the rest of the cars in the lot and mentally kick myself. In Chicago I had gotten used to seeing so many styles of cars parked together than I never realized how ostentatious my Camaro would be in this place.

"Let's go Cullen, we've got to drop this shit off at the office before we can go find the girls," James reminds me and we take off at a jog towards the school.

"Put your phone on vibrate so it doesn't get confiscated," I warn James in a whisper as we enter the main office, "Jasper told me that one of the teachers tried to take his last semester when it rang just a few seconds before class ended."

"Got it," he replies and quickly changes the setting on the ringer as Mrs. Cope greets us.

I barely hear what she says as I watch the clock count down to the bell for lunch, quietly accepting the papers she hands us with a smile and a nod. The woman leers at James and I like we're something to eat so I am more than happy to get the hell out of there when we conclude our paper trading.

Although I had memorized Bella's schedule weeks ago, my mind goes blank as the bell rings and the student body begins pouring out of the classrooms.

"Let's just try the cafeteria," I offer to James, nearly shouting over the cacophony of voices,"They all eat together anyways so I'm guessing that would be our best bet on finding them."

"Lead the way Romeo," he acquiesces with a wave of his hand, so I take the lead.

Less than 25 feet from the entrance leading to the lunch room, a large figure collides with me, nearly knocking me on my ass. "Sorry," I mutter and move to duck passed the guy who is obviously a football player, but he grabs my shoulder.

"Who do we have here? Another newbie?" the dark haired kid sneers, looking me up and down, "What is this place turning into, Grand Central for the rejects of Washington state?"

I shrug his hand from me, "Well, if it is, then I guess you're the ringleader, now fuck off," I snap and attempt to get around him again.

His meaty hand shoots out and slaps against my chest, "Where do you think you're going, you fucking smartass? Did I say I was done with you?"

I grab his hand and twist it backward until he yelps and drops to his knees. I lean down until I'm level with his ear, "Don't ever fucking touch me again, you pig fucker, or I will rip your little pencil dick off and shove it up your ass with a baseball bat. Understood?"

"Y-y-es," he stammers and I shove him back, stepping around his prone form.

"You alright man?" James asks, not so accidentally kicking the asshole in the head as he steps over him and reaches my side.

"I'm fine Jay," I qualify, "I'm just hoping that this shit isn't going to be an everyday occurrence. We'll be suspended by the end of the week, if that's the case."

"Yeah, I'm getting that feeling," he admits as we make our way to the double doors.

Then I feel it, that tell tale hum, start running over my skin. Another person may have found it annoying, but I have only ever found comfort in it because it meant that my Isabella was near.

"Bella?" I whisper, suddenly unable to force my voice any louder. I look up and begin scanning the mob navigating the hallway, trying to pinpoint the source of the current.

I can feel it getting stronger, but I can't find her amongst the masses and panic starts building in me. "Isabella?" I manage to choke out at a higher volume, still desperately seeking my kismet.

"Edward?" I hear my angel call out from behind me. I turn to face the direction of her voice and feel my heart stutter a few beats before it begins racing in my chest as the world falls away, leaving only her.

Standing before me is the most beautiful creature in the world. Her mahogany curls are pinned up on her head, the deep blue of her top that is partially hidden under a leather jacket makes her skin luminescent under the fluorescent lights. The pendant I had gotten her for her birthday rests just above the swell of her breasts. Her long legs are encased in snug fitting denim and, holy shit, she's wearing high heels. There is no mistaking that the girl I left behind is now a breathtaking woman. Her cheeks are tinted pink and her twinkling cocoa eyes finally meet my own.

I'm never letting her go again. They'll have to kill me.

"Isabella," I breathe and without a second thought, reach out and pull her into my arms. I don't slow the momentum too much as I lean down to greet her tantalizing red lips with my own. The feel of her against me, our lips moving in perfect harmony, takes over every thought in my head.

I need to taste her, so I graze her bottom lip with my tongue, begging for entrance. A low mewling rumbles out of her as she grants me access and her tongue immediately darts out to curl around my own. Her hands instinctively ghost up my torso and bury themselves in my hair as I lock one arm around her waist and clasp the back of her neck with the other. She gently gives it a tug, making me moan softly into her mouth.

The annoyed mock-coughing of a teacher forces us to separate. "That's quite enough of that Miss Swan and Mister..?"

"Cullen, Edward Cullen," I reply while securing my arm around her waist. Out of the corner of my eye, I see that she is blushing furiously and I can't help but give the teacher a cocky smirk as he huffs and tells us to get to lunch.

As soon as he walks away, Bella stretches up and I feel her lips tremble against my ear, making a shiver race through me as she whispers, "Take me outside Edward, I don't feel like sharing you with anyone right now."

"As you wish, my love," I concede and pull her in the direction of the nearest exit.

The arm she has around me is holding my shirt in a death grip as we stride out into the drizzle at a brisk walk. She leads me around the side of the building until we com upon a small hidden incove. I let her push me into the tiny space and up against the back wall. Her lips are on mine before I can blink.

As the sounds of our passionate kiss linger in the air, I turn us around so that she is now against the wall and I brush my hand down along her side until I reach her left thigh. I hook my hand under it and hitch her leg around my waist and am immediately rewarded with the unmistakable sensation of the heat of her center pushing against my arousal. I can't stop myself from moving against her, forcing a moan from both of us. She suddenly wraps her right leg around my waist as well, pressing her heated core to me more firmly. The need to be closer to her is rapidly becoming overwhelming.

I'm beginning to feel light headed from the lack of oxygen when she tears her mouth from mine.

I can't bear the loss of contact and kiss my way along her jaw and down her exposed throat. "I love you, you are my life, I'll never leave again Isabella," I murmur over and over between licks, nips, and open mouthed kisses against her skin.

"I love you Edward, I love you so much it hurts, Don't ever leave me," she mumbles, her lips mirroring my own actions. I don't know how much more of this I can endure before I lose control and just take her right here. No, not like that. Fuck it, I'll take her home, Esme and Carlisle won't be home for hours.

"I want you Isabella, right now, let me take you away from here, " I hear myself growl as my lips glide along the hollow of her throat. I drop the hand cupping her neck to pull the fabric of her shirt down, exposing her ivory mounds. "No bra? Lovely," I mumble happily, cupping her perfect breast and gently begin twisting and flicking the delicate gold ring that pierces her erect nub.

She whimpers as she rocks her hips harder against mine, relishing the extra friction that it creates. "Not, um,yet, ah, my love, you, hmm," she pants between wordless sounds of pleasure," can't just, oh god that feels good, dis-disappear on your, mm, first day."

"And why not? No one will be home for hours yet." I challenge as I lift her high enough to capture her taunt nipple between my lips, making sure to flick the hoop with my tongue as I suck and lick at her supple mound.

Her right hand flies to the back of my head, her fingers curling themselves into my hair as she pushes her chest into me, "Ed-Edward, your, oh, dad, will t-take you a-away, agh, if you s-start ski-ski- harder-skipping school on, um, the first, fuck that feels so good, day b-back."

I start rolling my hips in sync with her gyrations and her mewling pants become throaty gasps, spurning me to increase the tempo. "I need you Isabella," I mutter around the delectable piece of flesh trapped between my teeth, "I don't give a damn about him." I hum against her peak, making her low gasps turn into aching whimpers.

"Oh g-god Edward, you're go-going to mmake me cum, kiss me, please," she softly cries as her body starts quivering against me. I quickly abandon her breast and claim her lips, eager to meet her demand. Feeling the sudden dampness seeping from her denim covered core as she crashes over the edge causes a chain reaction in me. I grab her hips and grind myself against her hard as I gain my own release, not caring about the fluid now staining my boxers.

I try to control the speed of our fall as we tumble to the concrete, being careful not to let her back get scraped by the brick as she slides down it to straddle my lap. "I love you Isabella," I murmur reverently as I cover her flushed face with soft kisses and wind my arms around her again.

"I love you Edward, always have, always will," she answers, leaning into the feel of my lips on her skin. Fuck, what did a lowly motherfucker like me ever do to deserve this angel?

"Only me?" I can't help but ask, my thousands of inadequacies clawing their way to the surface.

She places her tiny hands on the sides of my face and forces me to gaze into her sparkling mocha eyes, "Only you. I swear you are the only one to ever have my heart. I never broke my promise either. This body has never been touched by another man like the way you have, and will again, touch me. I'm yours, Edward, completely and irrevocably, forever."

"Mine," I murmur as I graze her lips with my own and feel her surrender to my touch once more, "All mine. Forever."

"All yours," she vows earnestly as her hands wind around my neck and pull me to her.

We are forcibly hurled from our little bubble by the bell signaling the end of the lunch period. I pick her up and set her on her feet as I stand. We cling to one another as we enter the building, not daring to break contact just yet.

"Let me walk you to class love," I offer as we saunter down the hall. Little does she know that I have next period with her, among other classes during the day.

She gazes up at me through her long, thick eyelashes, "I wouldn't want you to be late for class Edward, not on your first day. It would give the teachers a bad impression of you and you don't deserve that."

"I'll be fine Bella," I assure her, flashing her my best smile, "Besides, they don't expect me to make it to all of my classes on time for at least the first week. Trust me, please?"

I feel her melt into my side, "I trust you Edward. I love you."

I press my lips to the top of her head and inhale the intoxicating aroma that is my kismet, "I love you too. Irrevocably, unconditionally, and if I'm going to be completely honest, probably irrationally, but I won't let that stop me."

"Good, because I feel exactly the same way," Bella admits, grinning impishly.

I let her guide me to the Biology room, but pin her against the lockers just outside the door and give her a passionate kiss.

"What class do you have after this?" she inquires when the need to breathe makes itself known.

"I have Biology, same as you," I smirk and pull the door open before holding my hand out in invitation.

She giggles and enters the room, walking to her seat as I hand my papers over to the teacher. I can't take my eyes off of the way her hips sway so seductively as she moves. She truly has no idea the effect she has on people. Then an errant thought occurs to me and I laugh openly as I make my way to the only open seat in the class. It just happens to be beside my Bella.

"What are you laughing at?" Bella asks as I take my place at her side.

I point to her, then myself, "We match. I just noticed that when you were walking to your seat."

She smirks and pulls her book out, "Did you expect anything less from two people who are not only kismet, but kindred spirits?"

I sneak a kiss to her temple while the teacher's back is turned, "No, not really my love, but you need to read less Shakespeare, judging by that line."

The class flies by with Bella beside me and all too soon we find ourselves parting in front of the gymnasium.

"By the way, Happy Birthday, again," I tell her, my voice thick with love and lust as I rest my cheek against her hair, "I forgot to bring your other present with me though, is that okay? I can bring it tomorrow, if you'd like."

She snuggles deeper into my arms, "You didn't have to get me anything Edward. You are here, with me, I couldn't have asked for anything better."

I roll my eyes at her flawed logic, but let it go for now, "Whatever you say love. I'll be waiting for you after class." I worship her lips one last time and force myself to let her out of my arms, "I love you Isabella."

I see the flicker of emotion in her eyes as she opens the door, "I love you Edward. See you after class."

I can't help but grin like a maniac as I head to my own class. How could I not be happy? I have finally been reunited with my love, my kismet, my life.

**Well, there is the big reunion you all have been waiting on, was it everything you'd hoped for????**

**LINK TO BELLA'S NECKLACE NOW ON MY PROFILE!**

**Leave a review and tell me what you think!**

**For people who need a little more prodding...**

**REVIEW OR DIE!**


	10. Chapter 9 Amongst Family and Friends

**I own nothing copyrighted or Twilight related but I do have a head full of auburn hair that's over 2 ½ feet long and likes to eat unsuspecting passers-by and small, annoying children.**

**What can I say about the shorter chapter? Not much except that I did warn you about my RL being insane right now and I'm sorry, I will try to do better. **

**Actually giving me a review would help a lot. It's pretty damn discouraging that I have a lot of people who have added me to fav's and such but won't review. It hurts my damn feelings, to be honest, makes me feel like I'm not good enough. You know how fragile my ego is by now, so give me a boost, would ya?**

**A/N: Quick Shout Out to my favorite demented evil pixie—She has new stories up: Burn It To the Ground, Never Trust a Hope, ever Trust a Banana, and Bella's Boos. Go check them out, she's in my fav's as, duh, dementedevilpixie!**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 9**

**Amongst Family and Friends**

**~Bella~**

I can't help but touch my fingertips to my lips as I walk into the locker room, my mind more chaotic than a tornado. Trying to describe what kissing Edward is like can only be summed up in one word. Heaven. I'm not sure if that's good enough, but it's the best my addled brain can conjure as I go through the motions of changing into my gym clothes.

I follow the gaggle of girls back out, not paying any attention to what is being said all around me. The teacher instructs us to sit on the bleachers to discuss the rules for volleyball, again, but his monotone quickly fades into the background. The only thing that registers is that we will not be doing anything today. Awesome.

"Earth to Bella," Angela's soft prodding pulls me from my memories of lunch, "Want to tell me what has you so distracted?" She studies me for a moment, watching my features grow bashful, then smiles, "It's him, isn't it? He's back?"

I feel the heat flood my face as I nod, "Yes, Edward's back. I've been waiting for this day for so long Ang, and now that it's here, I just can't help but feel like I'm stuck in the most wonderful nightmare of my life."

Her dark eyes swim with concern and confusion, "Nightmare? Why?"

I sigh and rest my head on her shoulder, "Because the moment I saw him, when he touched me, it was like the past two years didn't happen. It was just us again. No Bella, no Edward. Just Us. But when I walked in here, it was like this whole day has just the best fucking dream I've ever had. Now I'm scared that I'm losing my mind. What if it didn't happen? What if my brain just can't take it any more and has checked out permanently?"

She pats my head gently then points to the doors, "It looks like you're not the only one who has been thinking that, unless you're Price Charming doesn't have auburn hair or look like a model?"

My head snaps up from her shoulder to see my personal miracle trying very hard to get my attention while using the bleachers by the doors as cover. When he notices that he has my attention, his handsome face is overtaken by that goddamn crooked grin that I can't help but smile back at.

"Go to him Bella, I'll cover," Angela chuckles, "It's not like you haven't done it for Ben and me enough times."

I give her a kiss on the cheek and hop up, "Thanks Ang, you're the best," I gush and rush off towards my kismet.

His emerald eyes are sparkling as he flashes that heart stopping grin at me again. "What can I say love?" he smirks as I crash into his embrace, "I missed my girl and my Spanish teacher let me out early to take my papers to the office. Go change so we can get the hell out of here before I lose my mind from not being able to touch you."

My brain doesn't even bother trying to come up with a rational argument over why this isn't a good idea. I just press my lips to his chiseled jaw and dash into the locker room.

I dress in a flash, thankful that the outfit Alice put me into doesn't take much effort to get on and off. It takes no time for me to be changed and literally sprinting back to Edward. I wonder if he'll notice how easy it is to get my clothes off? I hope so.

Oh gods, why did I have to think that?

_Because you're horny and you love him and you've practically spent every fucking night of the past two years thinking about him making love to you again._

Oh yeah. Shit, no, stop it!

_Make me._

I'm so screwed.

_Not yet you're not, but keep this up and you will be!_

Shut u--

"What's wrong Bella?" Edward's voice pulls me out of my internal argument, "You look a little upset."

I shake my head as he takes my bag and throws it over his shoulder with his own, "It's nothing, I just want to spend some time with you where no one can bother us."

He extends his hand to me and I take it, reveling in the sensation of our fingers interlocking as we stroll down the hall, "I know exactly what you mean. My dad won't be home for a few hours, but could we go to your place instead? I don't want to take any chances at my house just yet, I hope you understand."

Of course we can, especially if I get to keep you all to myself for a little while. "Yeah, I don't see any problem with that," I reply as we step out into the soft drizzle, "Jake and Leah might try to make you stay for dinner though, if we're not careful. They've missed you too."

He leans down and presses his lips to the side of my neck. "Not as much as I've missed you Isabella," he whispers in my ear before straightening back up, "I can't guarantee I'll be able to stick around for dinner, but I'd love to see aunt Lee-Lee and uncle Jake again."

We reach my car and he is quick to open the driver's side door for me as soon as I unlock it, "After you, my love," he offers with a dramatic wave of his hand.

I stretch up on my toes and kiss him soundly before getting in, "I love you."

He brushes his dampened locks from his forehead as he smiles at my words, "I love you too. See you in a few minutes." He offers a chaste kiss upon my lips before closing the door and jogging to his own vehicle.

I pull out of the parking spot and wait for Edward, but the deviant he is, he pulls out of the entrance and blurs passed me with a cocky grin, honking his horn as he goes by.

Oh, hell, no. I love him, but there is no fucking way he's beating me to my own house. I wrench the car into gear and squeal out of the parking lot after my.....well boyfriend seems a little dull in comparison to what Edward means to me, but people don't take too kindly to calling other people gods, paragons, your reason for living. Yeah, I'll just stick with kismet until I can figure something a little better for social interactions.

Shit. Jasper. I need to warn him that I left early with Edward or he'll freak out and come looking for me. Hmm. I hit speed dial #1 on my cell and wait for him to answer. I know he keeps his phone on vibrate. It's goes to voice mail after three rings, his teacher must be one of the observant ones or he would never ignore a call from me. I listen to his greeting, then laugh, "Um Jazz, it's your friendly neighborhood stalker. I plan at being at your house before you get out of class and this time I'm bringing a friend. Laters!" I flip the phone closed, smug with my cryptic message.

I'm prepared for a hard race with Edward and his SS, but as soon I hit the main street of Forks, I spot Edward's SS parked at the gas station and he's leaning against the side, filling up. I want to beat my head off the steering wheel but instead opt for also filling my tank and picking up smokes for Jasper and myself.

He's polite enough to wait for me, chuckling as he eyes the two cases of Red Bull and the pumpkin spice cappuccino that were last minute additions to my purchases. "Addicted to caffeine much love?" he taunts as I stride passed the hood of his car.

I shrug at his words, unapologetic, "I hate sleeping Edward, you remember that, and I'm almost out back home."

He spent many nights during childhood sleepovers holding me to drive away the nightmares of the car crash that killed my parents and nearly killed my brother. Sometimes I still crawl in bed beside Jasper just to have someone near, but no one has been able to keep them at bay like my kismet. Edward is nodding in understanding as I slide into the Supra and buckle up before pulling out in front of him to lead the way home.

My nerves finally make an appearance when I pull into the garage and get out out wait for Edward to park. I try to be calm and mature, but my brain short circuits yet again and before I realize what's going on, I drop the bags and bolt across the driveway, leaping towards my love as soon as he's out of his car.

Like two magnets in perfect alignment, his arms easily catch me and draw me closer to him, my head immediately finding the crook of his neck and I remember how Edward believed that it was made to fit my head against him perfectly.

We don't speak for a long while, we're too enraptured simply holding each other. Lucky for us that the drizzle has stopped, and despite the chill that now hangs in the air, I'm not cold. I could care less about the weather though, the way we are clinging to one another, I know that I will never feel cold as long as he his holding me.

Unfortunately, Seth's excited yapping is what finally forces me to break the perfection of the moment. "I have to let Seth out of his kennel or he will just get worse. Right now is simply a warm up," I explain as I reluctantly shift just enough to alert Edward to set me on my feet.

He obeys, also reluctant, and presses his lips into my hair before chuckling quietly, "Maybe we should take him down to the beach for a while, our apology for ignoring him like that. It will give us time to talk and give me space to run when Jazz and Ali show up."

"Sounds good to me," I admit and move to step away to retrieve the bags I had dropped when he snags me by the waist and grins impishly when I snap my head around to ask what he was doing.

"Did you truly think that I would let go of you so soon, my love?" Edward inquires while scooping up the bags himself before leading the way to the house, "Unless you want me to, that is."

I shake my head, not wanting him to misunderstand my intent, "I just wanted to get my shit out of the driveway before said brother or the evil Red Bull fairy ran it over sweetheart. I never intend on letting you go ever again either, Edward Cullen, to answer your asinine question. I would rather die than be without you."

He stops us on the front porch and turns to face me, the emotional storm raging in his green orbs causing me to gasp. "You are my life Bella. Every breath I take belongs to you. I know that I left you broken and bleeding, and how I wish I could take it all away, but I know I can't."

He gently brushes that back of his hand along my cheek, the cups it tenderly, his thumb ghosting across my lips, "All I can do now is spend every waking moment proving to you how much I love you and that nothing in this world but your word will ever make me leave your side again. It may sound stupid and irrational for a seventeen year old teenager to say these things, but it does not stop them from being the truth. Please say that you believe me Isabella, I need to hear, to know, that you still have faith in me."

I huddle into his chest and his arms fold around me protectively, "I trust you, always," are the only words that I can manage in response to his heart felt confession. I feel him bury his face in my hair and exhale loudly, it feels like a sigh of relief, but he says nothing aloud. His answer is as simple as holding me tighter.

Too soon I am forced to release all but his hand as we make our way through the house to drop off my bags and continue out the back door to my overexcited pup, who is bouncing like a kangaroo on speed.

Edward laughs at Seth's energetic greeting, "I thought he was only like this because I hadn't seen him in so long," Edward confesses as he hooks Seth's leash to his collar and I open the gate, releasing the bouncing 95 lb ball of energy.

"Nope," I laugh as the half wolf begins walking Edward and I down the familiar path, "He is always a happy, vibrating ball of wolfy insanity. That's why he has to be kept outside when no one's home. He'd tear the house all the way to the foundation in a matter of hours. In all honesty, he's like the canine version of an unmedicated Alice."

"Wow, now that's saying something," Edward murmurs, in awe of the dog currently trying to dislocate his shoulder," I didn't think anything else on this planet could match that evil pixie when it came to being hyperactive."

I nod thoughtfully, then grin at his perplexed expression, "Yes, well on the account you picked him for me in the first place, I guess I can blame you then," I poke him in the side, inciting a yelp and another laugh out of him.

Once we reach the shoreline, Edward releases Seth from his tether and laughs aloud as the canine streaks down the patch of sand at full speed. "Be right back," he whispers in my ear, his soft lips brushing against my skin and coercing a ripple of pleasure to run through me.

Before I can answer, he lets go of my hand and starts chasing the half wolf, his mirthful guffaws floating over the sounds of the ocean. I find an almost dry rock to sit on and watch Edward play fetch, then tug-of-war with Seth.

After about fifteen minutes, Seth refuses to relinquish his stick so Edward accepts defeat and trudges over to me while Seth does a victory trot across the sand before settling down to chew apart his prize.

"What are you thinking?" he asks as he sits beside me and takes my hand in his.

I off him the cigarette I just lit and light me another, "I was thinking that all of this is too good to be true. I had spent so much time believing that I was going to have to bleed my trust fund dry to find you and yet here you are, in the flesh, and you still want to be with me. I'm afraid that I'm going to wake up and you'll still be gone."

His form blurs with the tears that have welled up, "You've always been a dream come true for me Edward, and no one has their dream come true twice, this isn't some fucking fairy tale where everyone gets their happily ever after."

He shifts sideways and cups my face in his warm hands, "I understand exactly what you mean, but I'm here Isabella, I'm real, and I'm yours for as long as you'll have me. Nothing would make me happier that for us to spend every day of forever together. We'll make our own damn version of a fairy tale, if that's what it takes to keep you for all eternity."

I lean into his touch, letting him guide me to lay against his muscled chest, "Forever it is then. I'm going to hold you to that, you know."

He hums in contentment as I settle into his lap, "I look forward to the challenge. You do realize that I'm going to marry you some day? I don't want any of those other assholes out there to have even a glimmer of hope that they might stand a chance with you. You are mine, I am yours, end of story."

"Did you just fucking propose to me Edward Cullen?" I chortle as I lean back to look into his eyes.

He shakes his head and blows out a cone of smoke, "No I didn't, you silly girl, and I'm not going to, because proposing will make it sound like you have a choice in the matter. You and I will get married one day and that, my love, is simply stating a fact."

"Presumptuous much? How do you know I'll accept?" I ask playfully, amazed as his boldness. The Edward I remember was not as sure of himself. This Edward was a new creature and I can't help but wonder what happened to make him like this.

He shrugs nonchalantly, "You call it presumptuous, I call it our destiny. Pick whichever word makes you feel better Bella, as long as you realize that resistance is futile."

"Okay, no more Star Trek for you Geekward," I giggle as he nuzzles my neck.

"What the hell are you doing to my sister Cullen?!" Jasper yells, making us both jump. The whole gang is strolling towards us, grinning like idiots.

"I'm trying to convince her to run away with me and leave all you psycho fuckers behind!" Edward shouts back.

I attempt to scoot off of his lap, but his arms hold me firmly in place. "You're not going anywhere," he growls softly against my hair.

"It looks like you were trying to have her for dinner," Alice quips as she hops onto the rock and sits down, "Care to share a bite?"

Edwards arms tighten ever so slightly and his grin turns impish, "Sorry, I don't think I have enough to spare Ali, get Jasper to buy you a new toy."

"Ew, I don't think I want to hear about Alice's sex toy collection," Rosalie whines, but her eyes are soft as she takes in the way Edward and I are wrapped around one another.

"I could stand to hear a little more. Ouch! Dammit Rose!" Emmett confesses, earning him a swat from his wife.

"James and Victoria will be here shortly," Alice informs us, "Tori's off today and Jazz and I thought it would be nice if we all had dinner together on account Bella has been monopolizing our long lost brother. Not very fair Bella, by the way, we missed him too. Good thing I'm an understanding kind of girl or you'd be in deep shit."

I can see Edward's cheeks flush when Alice says the word 'brother'. "That's a great idea Ali," he murmurs and goes to muss her hair, but she nimbly dodges his hand and sticks her tongue out at him.

"Hey! Watch the hair, you dyke kissing ape!" Alice squeals and everyone bursts into laughter.

Edward shakes his head in mock annoyance, "I forgot how something so small could be so damn annoying."

She leans over and kisses his cheek, "It's only one of the services I offer free of charge. Welcome home Edward, we missed you."

"I missed you too. It's good to finally be home," he answers and leans down to give me a soft kiss, his lips lingering until the whistles and catcalls force us apart, laughing at our friends antics.

Soon after James and Victoria join us and the boys decide to play a game of football on the beach while us girls make fun of them. When Rosalie warns us of the time, we have to resort to underhanded tactics like flashing our bras at the boys to get their attention. They aren't happy when the four of us link our arms around each others waists and leave them behind, mouths hanging open. Edward and Jasper scramble to collect Seth and the boys follow us home.

"I'll make dinner for everyone, I hope everyone likes steak." I offer as we reach the back porch. Everyone nods their agreement as we file inside.

"I'd like to help, if you don't mind Bella," Edward offers when we reach the kitchen, "Just like old times angel."

"Woo-hoo!" Jasper shouts from the living room, where he's putting music on. I can hear Rob Zombie's 'Never Gonna Stop' start blaring out of the speakers, "We're in for some real fucking good food tonight!"

Edward and I exchange a conspiratorial grin before beginning the dance that comes with the instinct of knowing what the other needs as we prepare dinner for our family.

Jake and Leah don't seem surprised when they come home to a house that has been overrun with teenagers who are dancing madly and making dinner. It truly is like old times, just with a few more friends in the mix now.

"So, how was school today, my darling demon spawn?" Leah asks as Edward tosses her and my uncle bottles of water from the fridge.

"Edward almost got into a fight before he threw Bella over his shoulder and carried her out to the woods to ravish her," James taunts while he steals a piece of carrot that Edward is cutting and pops it in his mouth with a satisfied smirk.

"On Bella's birthday to boot. Edward, what did I always tell you kids about fighting?" Jake chastises as he happily eases himself into one of the island stools and props his feet up on another.

"Um, never start a fight, but make damn sure you finish it and if you know that you're going to lose, take the bastard with you. But most of all remember one thing above all others," Edward recites, sliding the vegetables from the cutting board into the large salad bowl, "Chicks dig scars." His jade eyes flash to mine and I give him a wink and a smile in agreement.

Jacob nods approvingly, "It's nice to know that you haven't forgotten all of your lessons, my young padawan."

"Yeah, it's too bad that Bella never bothered learning the rules in the first place," Alice giggles mischievously, "If she had, she would have remembered that the second rule is 'Don't Get Caught'."

I make a face at her as I pull the steaks out of the broiler, "I think my brother has finally fucked your brains out Ali-cat. That's the third rule. The second rule is 'Never fight fair because the other guy won't either'. As it is we're breaking the first rule so I don't want to hear it out of anyone."

"What's the first rule?" James inquires, his blue eyes alight with curiosity.

Everyone in the house turns to him and Victoria, serious expressions on our faces as we snap ato attention. "The first rule of Fight Club is, you don't talk about Fight Club!" we shout in unison before resuming our activities like nothing happened.

"Whoa, you weren't kidding when you said your friends were fucking nuts Cullen," James muses, taken aback by our little exhibition, "At least I know you get it honestly now."

"Jay, you have no idea how true that statement is," Leah chortles while she pulls plates out of the cabinet and sets them on the counter top, "Scary as it may be, this merry band of heathens have actually matured a great deal in the past year or so."

Jacob pokes my bronze haired boyfriend in the shoulder,"Edward, why don't you call your mother and ask her to join us? I'm sure that Esme has had to eat alone enough to make her never want to do it again. Besides, we'd love to have her."

He grins and digs his cell out of his pants pocket. She must have been near her own, because she answers quickly, "Yeah mom, um, don't mean to put you in a bind but uncle Jake and aunt Leah want you to come over for dinner, if you're not busy. We're having steak and shit. Yes, Bella and I cooked mom. Really? Awesome!" He looks to me, "Love, mom wants to know if she needs to bring anything for dinner. She's offered to pick up a cheesecake sampler for dessert if we want."

I shrug a shoulder while trying not to drop the pan of steaming hot baked potatoes on the floor, "That's fine sweetheart. The best I was going to be able to do was ice cream. Tell her thanks for me."

His grins grows impossibly big, "She said it's fine mom and thanks. Okay, see you in a few. Love you too mom."

"A little excited about your mom coming to your girlfriend's house for dinner Eddie?" Emmett teases as Edward shoves his phone back into his pocket and kisses my cheek.

Edward flips him the middle finger, "Sit and spin Em. You're wife tells me you like that sort of thing. So what's it like being the bitch in the relationship? Does she have your collar and whip stored in her purse in case you decide to misbehave?"

"Go fuck yourself Cullen," Emmett snickers, "I'll get even this weekend when we have our game over at Ali's place. I love running over cocky wide receivers."

"Alright, that's enough, this isn't a pissing contest," I growl at the boys, "Dinner is done, go get washed up so we can eat when Esme arrives."

Within fifteen minutes, Edward's caramel haired mother is knocking on the front door with not one, but three large cheesecake samplers balanced in her dainty hands. "I know how much Edward and James eat all by themselves," is her only explanation as I take two of them and step aside for her to come in.

If anyone would have told me that making dinner for this group was going to be like feeding a pack of ravenous wolves, I wouldn't have believed them. Now I'm a true believer. After two embarrassing rounds of happy birthday and convincing Esme that there is no reason to feel guilty about not getting me a present, we make it though dinner mostly unscathed. Emmett is the only one who tries to sneak off in a weak attempt to weasel his way out of helping clean up, but a whispered threat from Rosalie has him jumping into the chore with both feet.

In an underhanded gesture, I made sure to prepare a plate of food beforehand for Esme to take home for Carlisle, to which she laughs and accepts whole-heartedly. Over dinner she explained that Carlisle has been sleeping on the couch or at the hospital since he made the conscious decision to bad mouth our family, then change all of the pass codes on their security system and not bother telling anyone the new codes until the next morning. She believes that this simple plate of food is just one more way to exact revenge over his blatant idiocy.

It's harder than I believed it would be, to let Edward out of my sight, when it's time for him to go home. Seeing him walk out the door causes the ghost of the wound in my chest threatening to rip itself open again.

I bite back a cry and rush out after him, wordlessly throwing myself into his arms. I can't stand to see him leave. As we stand on the porch, wrapped in each others arms, the fear that this is all just a dream resurfaces and the tears begin to fall.

Edward looks on the edge of panicking as his fingers brush the salty droplets from my cheeks, "What's wrong Bella? Did I do something?"

I sniffle and shake my head, "I'm just so goddamn afraid that none of this is real and the second that you are out of my sight I'll wake up and see that you're still gone. I don't know what to do," my words trail off into a strangled sob as I begin sobbing against his chest. My hands hurt, I'm gripping his jacket so tightly, but the physical pain is a mere shadow of the pain inside of me.

He strokes my hair lovingly and repeatedly plants tender kisses all over my face and lips, "Bella, Bella, Bella," he melodically chants between each kiss, "I'm real. I love you. I'm here and no one is going to take me away ever again, my love. I have to go to my parents house for now, so mom doesn't catch hell from dad, but I will be here bright and early tomorrow morning to pick you up for school. How does that sound?"

I don't trust myself to speak my acquiescence, so I do my best to stifle another embarrassing sniffle and nod, my shoulders slumping in resignation.

"Please don't look so sad Isabella. I can't bear to see you like this, not again, it's killing me," Edward asks, his voice low and hoarse. I look up to see tears trickling down his beautiful face. He forces a tight smile for my benefit, "This is just as difficult for me angel, but I've managed to remember something that you haven't yet."

"What's that?" I mumble, unconvinced that there is anything but his uninterrupted presence that could stop the pain inside of me.

"I remember that we have the rest of our lives together," he states, removing his hand from my hair to caress my cheek before pressing his lips to mine fervently.

His tongue immediately darts across my lips, begging for entrance and I sigh happily as I grant him his wish. Our mouths move in a slow yet fevered ballet of love and something else akin to desperation, our tongues stroking and swirling around one another as we subconsciously try to make the kiss ever deeper.

My fingers find their way into his hair and I pull him closer, making him moan into my mouth and pulling my body impossibly close to his. I can feel his arousal pressing against me and as his hips twitch ever so slightly, it's my turn to moan into him. I can feel the corners of his mouth turn up slightly when the sound escapes me, he knows exactly what he is doing to me.

After and infinite moment, his lips separate from mine and he rests his forehead against my own, "I will call you tonight, no matter what King Carlisle has to say about it. I love you, my Bella. Happy Birthday my love."

I squeeze my arms around him as tightly as I am able one last time before making my arms let him go and instantly feel colder as our bodies break contact. The strange current flares as his hand slides down my arm until only our fingertips touch, "I love you Edward, come back to me soon," I whisper when the connection is finally severed.

The flash of pain in his eyes is evident, "I will come back tomorrow, Isabella, I swear," he vows in a voice so low that it's obvious that the words were only meant for me to hear.

As he gets into his car, I do something that I never thought I would ever have the strength to do again. I close my eyes and start counting to one hundred an twenty, out loud, as the tears come again.

Suddenly I have the crunching of gravel and arms are wrapping around me, "Oh god Bella, don't do that," Edward begs, his voice breaking, "Don't make me leave you like this, not like this. Please, show me those beautiful brown eyes and tell me that you love me."

I force my lids upward and gaze into his pools of green which are darkened by the tears falling down his face as well. "I love you Edward, you know that, but I don't think I can handle you leaving me again. I don't know how I would survive it this time."

"It would kill me to even try Bella," he confesses, "Just try to remember that it's only for a very short time. I wouldn't be able to let you out of my sight otherwise." He pulls out of our embrace and begins unbuttoning his dark blue shirt. With a smirk, he slides it off and holds it out, "Put it on, you're cold," he insists with a light shake of the garment.

I shove my arms through the sleeves and he winds it around me before giving me a chaste kiss and a hug. "I will be back to get this tonight after my parents are in bed, keep it warm for me. I have your other present to bring you anyways," he murmurs into my neck then presses his lips to the pendant he gave me before letting me go. "Turn around and go in the house Isabella. I love you and I will be here tonight."

Without another word, he marches to his car and gets in without a look back in my direction. I determinedly turn on my heel and walk back into the house, complying with his wishes, but I can't help but lift my cloth covered hand to my nose and breath in the sandalwood, cinnamon, and honey smell that is distinctly my Edward.

**Okay, I know not much happened in this chapter other than seeing the gang hang around at home. I thought it was good to see everyone pal around with minimal drama going on. **

**Tell me what you think by pressing the little button at the bottom of the page. **

**For everyone else, **

**REVIEW OR DIE.**


	11. Chapter 10 Not a Fairy Tale

**Nope, still don't own anything copyrighted, but have been called a redneck gutter-punk demon worshiping piece of white trash once or twice.**

**A/N: I know I told you that my life is kind of crazy the last chapter, but it's now kind of falling apart. You know how it goes, too many bills and shit and not enough money to keep up. I'm trying not to have a complete meltdown right now. I'm not asking for pity or a hand out, I'm just asking for your understanding if my chapters are shorter and not up to my usual standards. Can you give me that much?**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**  
Chapter 10**

**Not a Fairy Tale**

**~Edward~**

**"**What the hell else was I supposed to do?! Leave her standing there, counting, again?!" I scream more to myself than at James as I pummel the punching bag that he is holding steady. "She looked so fucking broken all over again and it was my fault!" I wince as my weakened wrist finally gives out in defeat, sending pain shooting through my arm.

"Well Eddie, there isn't much either of you can do until you turn eighteen unless you want to fight the courts to become an emancipated minor," James states matter-of-factly, "I'm sorry about your shitty luck, but you don't want to make things worse, do you? I mean, if your dad catches you sneaking out, you'll be lucky if he doesn't send you to a military school somewhere in Siberia or something."

"I won't break my promise to her James," I snarl as I inspect my wrist, "If you had seen her you would fucking understand why I have to do this. She needs me to be there for her and there is nothing that will keep me from her."

He shakes his head and tosses me and Ace bandage, "Wrap that up after you soak it or Big Daddy C will have you in another cast before you go off and get yourself killed trying to climb in Juliet's window."

I wipe the sweat off my face with an old towel before lighting a cigarette, "No shit Sherlock. You know the fucked up thing about all of this is tonight, at dinner, for a little while I forgot all of the fucked up things that have happened and it was like the old days. Just us hanging out, having a good time, making dinner with Bella, and all that other shit. I didn't realize how much I had missed everyone until then."

"I don't mean to make shit worse but what are we going to do if the Volturi decide to pay us a visit?" James inquires out of nowhere, "I don't know what I'd do if one of those bastards got a hold of Tori. It scares the shit out of me that something could happen to her." He turns away to fill a zip-loc bag with ice, "Edward, I think I'm in love with her."

"First off, I never thought I'd live to see the day that James Nomada would declare his love for anyone but Tera Patrick, so congratulations on that," I taunt in a vain hope of shaking off the foreboding air that has settled around us. When it doesn't work, I move on to his question, "If the fucking mob has nothing better to do than to hunt down two fucking teenagers hiding out in Forks, Washington, we have bigger problems than we thought. As for what we will do? My mother has enough money to gets us out of here fast and if it doesn't come until later, I'll have access to my trust fund when I turn eighteen. We'll get our girls and split before they get a chance to sniff around too much."

James rolls his eyes as he drops an icepack on my lap, "Okay, so your brilliant solution to all of this is: Run Like Hell. Okay then. Where are we going to go once the ball gets rolling? What about everyone else?"

I shrug, ignoring the strain in my shoulder, "We could travel around the world a bit, you know, go sight seeing and shit. If we can get Bella and Tori to go under that premise, we wouldn't have to tell them anything until we got to a safer location. As for the others, I doubt the Volturi will bother them if we don't give them a reason to."

"Edward, I think that we're going to need something better than that," James scoffs as he finishes winding the athletic tape around his hand, "I don't think either of use want our girls or our friends to get hurt because of a half baked plan we threw together in your basement."

"But it's not half baked Jay," I retort, half joking, as I wrap the bandage around the ice pack to secure it to my arm,"It's a completely baked plan."

"Gee, I feel so much fucking better now Eddie," James growls, "How long do think we'll be able to keep this from everyone? I know how fucking smart Victoria is and I'm quickly discovering that Bella's no dumbass either, not to mention that I think Jasper is going to ask you what the hell went on while you were with Big Ed."

I move around to the back of the punching bag and steady it so James can have his turn,"What makes you say that?"

He throws a few warm up punches before lining up in front of the bag, "Call it intuition Edward. If Jasper is half as perceptive as his little sister, he's going to want to know what she's getting herself into with you and he's going to want that information soon."

"Jasper's like a brother to me Jay," I admit as he begins pummeling the bag, "How in the hell am I supposed to tell him this shit? He's going to have fucking coronary."

James lets out a dark chuckle, "It's better that he finds it out from you than someone else Edward. Fuck it, ask the shrink about it tomorrow, I bet he'll say the same damn thing."

"Speaking of therapists, you still banging yours?" I tease, unable to bite the question back.

He shakes his head no after he lands a side kick, "Nah, she wasn't all that much fun to begin with. The only reason I started screwing her in the first place was so she'd be too dazed to ask me shit. I'm starting with a new one tomorrow, he seems pretty cool and supposedly he went through some of the same shit that we did."

"Sounds like mine," I confess, "Dana White looking motherfucker?"

"Yeah, except he's got a fucking mohawk," James admits, "What kind of shrink has a fucking mohawk?"

"Evidently this one. Don't worry, he's cool," I assure him, "He really has went through this shit. He brought in police records for me to see and everything just to prove it. He'll probably do the same thing for you, if you ask him."

"That's really fucked up," he chuckles as he tries a roundhouse kick, "But I guess it couldn't hurt."

"Famous last words," I release the bag, my wrist and shoulder hitting their limit for the day, "I'm going up to get a shower before dad gets home and tries to start his shit."

He waves me off, "Do what you have to do man, I'm not going to stop you. Have fun doing tricks for Big Daddy C."

I pad up the steps after removing the ice pack and cutting the tape off my hands to hear Esme arguing with someone. It must be over the phone because I don't hear the other side of the argument.

"I told you that Edward and James had nothing to do with that and neither did I," she spits into the phone, "I don't care what Ed Masen told you, he was nothing but a piece of garbage who would let his own flesh and blood die to save his worthless hide! If I see any of you come anywhere near my family, I swear I will go to the highest authorities and spill every miniscule piece of information that I have, and you know how much damage I can do with it. Don't call me ever again, _mother,_ I made my choice a long time ago and so did you." She slams down the phone, then closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose between her forefinger and thumb.

I come around the corner, stepping loudly enough to alert Esme of my presence. "Who were you talking to mom?" I inquire. I know there is no way in hell that she's going to admit who it was, but I had to try.

Her frown twists into a bright smile, "No one sweetheart. Stupid telemarketers, I don't know how they keep getting this number, it's unlisted."

My heart falls slightly at her bold-faced lie but I push the feeling away and return the smile, "Yeah, those jackasses are persistent. I'm going up to get a shower then I'm crashing for the night, okay?"

"Of course Edward," my mother laughs, "I've got some work to get done tonight so I'll be in my office if you or James need me. Good night and I love you."

I give her a peck on the cheek, "I always need you mom. I love you too. When does King Carlisle get home tonight?"

"I wish you wouldn't call your father that Edward," Esme chastises as I start up the stairs, "He should be home any time now though."

"I'll stop calling him that when he stops trying to lord over us like we're serfs, mother," I call back to her as I reach the top of the steps.

I move through my bedroom and head straight into the bathroom, my brain focused on how good the hot water is going to feel on my sore muscles. I turn the faucets on and steam begins filling the space as I strip down and step under the scalding water. The flare of pain across my skin is easy to ignore as the instant release of tension in my body smothers it with relief. I rest my hands on the marble tiles and let the water flow over me.

I get so lost in the sensations that I'm only made aware of how long I've been in when the water becomes noticeably cooler. I hurriedly wash my hair and body and jump out after having to rinse in freezing cold water.

I wrap a towel around my waist and quickly shave before taking out my contacts and putting my glasses on. I mentally kick myself for letting time get away from me as I yank open my closet door and pull out a clean pair of track pants and a long sleeved tee shirt. 10:35 pm, my alarm clock warns me as I open my door to listen for sounds of my father being in the house yet.

"I'm not the one you need to be apologizing Carlisle," Esme growls in frustration, the sound floating out of the open door leading to her study, "Whatever damage that has been done to your relationship with Edward rests solely on your shoulders. You can't lay that at my feet because I warned you this would happen if you talked badly about Bella or her family."

"But Esme I--" Carlisle begins but is interrupted by Esme.

"No buts Carlisle!" my mother shrieks, finally losing her normally calm demeanor, "I support our son in his relationship with Bella because I believe that she is the only person who can convince him that he is more than what Ed tried to make him be! We can't save him on our own, not without her. The only reason that man gave a damn about our son in the first place was because he thought if he took our son and paraded him around like some kind of prize, he would gain favor with the very families we left behind Carlisle! He viewed Edward as a stepping stone because he fancied himself the next Tony Soprano or some garbage!"

"So you expect me to shut up and play nice Esme?!" my father shouts at her, "I'm supposed to let her destroy our son's life the way she has destroyed her own?! How can you ask that of me?! How is that going to make the Volturi turn a blind eye to what he knows?!"

"Yes Carlisle, I expect you to play nice," she explains like she's talking to a five year old, "Just because Bella has made mistakes does not give us the right to judge her. If anything, she is too good for the likes of us and what we've done to give our son a normal life away from the Volturi. He was less than nothing in their eyes and we will do everything we can to keep it that way. We will deal with that as it comes, but he loves Bella, Carlisle, and she loves him. Look at what lengths we were and still are willing to go to for our marriage and for our son. They are just as fiercely devoted to one another, and she is strong enough to support him through anything that may come."

"You don't know that for sure," he responds, but I hear the twinges of defeat in his tone.

"I know this," Esme qualifies in a much softer timbre, "If you continue to act like a jackass and try to keep them apart, you will ruin any hope of reconciling with your son. You'll be lucky if they haven't already begun devising ways to see each other, with or without your consent, and you know what? I'll help them every step of the way, whether it's to go out on a date or running away to Vegas to get married. I want Edward to be happy and he has made it no secret that he is not happy without her, so the Volturi be damned. Now I'm going to bed, I'll see you in the morning King Carlisle."

I stifle a chuckle at her use of the nickname she had scolded me for using earlier, then the weight of their words hits me. Somehow my parents were connected to the Volturi in a big way. The laughter dies in my throat, leaving only a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. I know that now is not the time to be asking questions, not if I still planned on seeing Bella tonight, but my parents a have a lot to answer for, and soon.

I ghost back up to my room as my father's footsteps enter the hallway. I quickly climb into bed and open my history book, glossing over a few short paragraphs before a knock on my door hearken's Carlisle's arrival at my door.

It opens slightly and my father's blonde hair appears, his tawny eyes contrite. "Can I speak with you a moment son?" he asks hesitantly.

I close the book and wave him in, "Sure dad, what's up?" This should be enlightening.

He slips into the room and stops at the foot of the king sized bed. "I want to apologize for my actions of late in regards to Bella," Carlisle explains, "It appears that my earlier assumptions about her actions have been somewhat faulty. I had no idea that most of the altercations she has been involved in have been in defense of you or herself."

"Not just me, Carlisle," I correct him, "Bella has always defended me, you, and mom loyally despite how badly you've treated her these years. No matter what you've said about her, she's kept her opinions about you to herself. She has also had to protect herself from assholes that wanted to give her grief because she was open about her sexuality. What the worst part is, dad, is that you stood back and judged her along with all of those other pricks without even trying to hear her side of things."

"What do you expect me to do Edward?" he asks, his shoulders slumping in defeat, "I've tried making what I felt were the right choices and nothing seems to work anymore. I just want what's best for you and this family."

I shove the book off my lap and swing my legs over the edge of the bed, "I expect you to use your damn brain and stop taking everything at face value because you're afraid of what you'll find otherwise. I also expect you to accept that Bella and I are going to be together with or without your consent. I would rather have your blessing on this but it won't stop me if you refuse to give it."

My father lets out a heavy sigh as I get to my feet, "I don't know if I can give my blessing just yet, but I promise I will reevaluate things and do my best to not be so blindly judgmental from here on out. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like you're too tired to fight anymore, but it's a start," I admit, patting his shoulder, "Which is good because you've wasted so much energy fighting all the wrong things. Go get some sleep dad, you're dead on your feet."

He nods and lets me guide him to the door. As he is leaving the room I remember something. "And yes dad, I will tell mom that you at least attempted to make peace with me tonight. Maybe she'll let you back in your room tomorrow night."

He gives me a weak smile in return, "Thanks. Good night Edward. Love you."

"I love you too dad, g'night," I answer and shut the door.

As his footfalls grow fainter, I check the time. 11:12 pm. Shit! I sprint to my closet, pulling out a change of clothes and my boots for school, then toss them in a small duffel bag before gathering my contacts, toothbrush, and a few other odds and ends that I may need in the morning. I make sure I have my books stowed away in my backpack after I pull on a gray hoodie that has a blue dragon embroidered on the back of it and stuff my feet into my sneakers. I finally grab my wallet, cell phone, car keys, and dig Bella's other birthday present out of the back of my closet before sneaking down the back stairs.

I had purposely parked the Camaro on the other side of the Volvo, facing the driveway, so I could coast it down the driveway until I was far enough from the house to start it. After carefully opening the door, I toss my bags onto the passenger seat and get in.

Coasting down the road is no problem tonight, although the reappearance of the rain causes some difficulties seeing. Once I'm at the mouth of the drive I quickly send a text to Bella, alerting her that I'm en route to her house. I'm halfway to her place when I finally receive an answer from her.

_Sorry I didn't answer sooner, was in the shower. Park the car over the hill where we used to hide the bikes, then meet me at the garage door. I'll meet you there._

On a hunch, I stop at the gas station and get her a pumpkin spice cappuccino and myself an English toffee one, then continue my journey to my beloved kismet.

Parking the car is easy. Carrying a duffel bag and two steaming hot cups of liquid through 150 yards of wet grass in the pouring rain isn't. I should have brought a fucking umbrella. I damn near kill myself three times before slinking around the back of the garage to the door.

To my surprise, it's already open and my Bella is standing there in a snug fitting black cotton cami and blue plaid pajama bottoms with what appears to be vampire duck slippers peeking out from under them. She's still wearing the shirt I'd given her earlier, it's hemline brushing against her flannel covered thighs. Her luxurious mane of hair is presently captured in one of those alligator clips and her creamy skin his devoid of any make-up. Alligator clips are now my enemy, I decide, they have no right to hold those exquisite tresses hostage like that.

She smiles when I offer her a kiss to go along with the cup of hot liquid as I step in out of the rain. After putting her forefinger to her lips, ensuring my silence, she takes my free hand and guides me through the house, up the stairwell, and to her room.

Immediately she sets her cup down and disappears into her bathroom, returning with a fresh towel as I slide out of my wet shoes. She has incense burning, no doubt one of Alice or her mother's creations. She also has strands of braided multi-colored rope lights tacked up along the ceiling of the room which give off the only illumination in the space. I can hear Placebo's 'Running Up That Hill' playing softly in the background.

"Here, let me get these for you. I'll put them over the register to dry," she offers, indicating my sneakers and rain soaked hoodie.

"Thank you love," I murmur as I relinquish the articles of clothing and set to drying my hair and face while she situates them over the heating vent, but instead end up just watching her. She senses my gaze and looks at me sideways, a smirk appearing on her face. I quickly put my head down, pulling my glasses of to clean them as she works while doing my best not to gawk at how much my girl has filled out in two years.

Bella comes back over and points in the direction of the stool sitting in front of her vanity. I can't contain an impish grin as I sit down on it and feel her take control of the towel. She quickly runs the cloth through my hair and pulls it from my head with a little flourish, a low chortle erupting from her. "Your shirts wet too, off with it," she demands.

I take it off without complaint and toss it to her. She hangs it with the hoodie and takes the damp towel into the bathroom. "Bella, slow down honey, you're flitting around like a drunk hummingbird."

She scurries back into the room and sticks her tongue out at me, "Just trying to get this shit done and out of the way so there is nothing to distract us. Jasper knows you're here, by the way. He won't dare say a fucking word about it because Alice spends half her nights here too."

"At least he's not beating down your door to kill me, so that's a relief. Come here for a second," I plead, but before I can touch her, she rushes into her closet and comes back out with another pair of slippers. "These are Jake's, they should fit you okay," Bella mumbles before bending down and setting them at my feet.

I ignore the slippers and extend my arms out to her. "Stop buzzing around like the energizer bunny Bella and come here, I've missed you dammit," I gently command her, letting my lips settle into a pout. I know it's underhanded but I'll do anything at this point for a chance to hold her in my arms.

She sighs and shakes her head, smiling, "I'm sorry Edward, I didn't want you to get cold," she qualifies as she closes the distance between us, standing between my knees while I snake my arms around her waist, "I've missed you too."

"As long as I have you in my arms, I'll never be cold Isabella," I proclaim as I release her auburn locks from the clip and bury my face in them, inhaling her sweet scent, "All I ever need is you and I'm happy."

She giggles at my sniffing as she winds her arms around my neck, "Do you have some kind of hair fetish Edward? You've been sniffing my hair constantly since lunch."

Hmm, maybe, especially if it always smells like her. "I love the way yours smells love," I admit, taking one last whiff before leaning up and kissing her jaw, "Strawberries and cream with a hint of freesia. Such a unique aroma, one that is purely you, my Bella. I dreamt of that scent every damn night that I was away from you. Can you fault a guy for wanting to get it straight from the source instead of having to rely on the pale imitation that is conjured by a faulty human memory?"

She bites her bottom lip as her mocha eyes peer into mine, making me want to lick the indentation her teeth are causing. "No, I guess I can't," she finally confesses," Because I've been doing the same thing with you," her head dips down towards my neck and she breathes deeply, "You smell like heaven."

I capture her lips with my own, chuckling mentally as her hum of pleasure reverberates into our kiss. I stand up, not breaking the contact, carefully removing my shirt from her shoulders and letting it drop to the floor before lifting her into my arms. She curls her legs around my torso as I stride through the space and lower us to the bed. Bella's hands fist themselves into my hair as I settle myself alongside her, still not allowing any space between us.

Her lips soon become eager to the point of desperation, I can feel her tongue touch my lips and I open my mouth to her, my own snaking out to meet hers. I let my hands roam over her curves, but not letting myself linger on her more intimate areas. This isn't about sex, not tonight, I only want to touch her, reaffirm that she isn't just a delusion that my mind has conjured to torment me.

I reach down to caress her toned thigh before drawing her leg over my hip. Neither of us can contain the low moan that rumbles out in response to the new connection our bodies make. My hand then finds its way to the small of her back as our kiss deepens, forcing my breath to catch when my fingers encounter bare skin where her shirt has worked its way up.

Bella's hips move against mine, causing me to groan at the friction created. She can obviously feel my arousal so I am forced to make a choice. With great effort, I break contact with her lips, her whimper of disappointment matching my own silent displeasure. Her gold flecked chocolate orbs are confused, bordering on hurt. "I just want to hold you for tonight, Isabella, is that alright?" I ask her as I brush a stray lock of hair back from her forehead, then bring my hand to rest upon her flushed cheek, "I've missed that so much."

After a few seconds, she nods and her lips turn up into a little smile, "Yes, it's alright Edward. I've missed it too. I'm sorry I lost control like that."

"Don't ever be sorry about it Bella," I respond, trying to soothe her worries, "I want you too, so much, but not until we're both ready for it. I love you too much to disrespect you by taking advantage of your jumbled emotions."

"What if I wanted you to take advantage?" Bella taunts, her fingers ghosting up my chest and coming to rest over my heart.

I plant a chaste kiss upon her swollen lips, "Then I would simply have to remind you that good things come to those who wait, my love."

"You know Edward,"she smirks, stealing a kiss, "Contrary to popular belief, patience is not always a virtue."

"Well, right now it is my dark haired angel," I counter and steal a kiss in return, "Besides, it's after one in the morning and we both have school later."

She rolls over and sets her alarm before turning out the lights then snuggling closer to me. As her head comes to rest on my chest and my arms wraps around her lithe frame, I'm finally home. Such a simple gesture and my world is right once more. How I lived without her for this long, I'll never guess. I lean up enough to grab the comforter and drag it over us before sinking back into the pillows with a sigh of contentment.

"You'll be here when I wake up, right?" her voice floats of the darkness, I can hear the spike of fear in it.

I kiss the top of her head before resting my cheek against it, "I will be here when you wake up Isabella, I promise. Sleep now, my one and only love."

I begin humming a melody I wrote for her long ago when I remember that I forgot to give Bella her other birthday present, again. "Shit," I mutter, "I forgot to give you your other present yet again. Do you want me to get it for you now angel?"

"No, it can wait until morning, this feels too good. Love you," she mumbles, her breath blowing across my bare skin sending shivers through my body.

I kiss her head once more. "As you wish, my Isabella. I love you too," I whisper and resume my humming of her lullaby.

Her breathing evens out and her body relaxes as she surrenders to unconsciousness. I'm tired but I don't want to sleep just yet because my reality is now better than any dream my mind could ever hope to conjure. Unfortunately the events of the day take their toll and I soon feel myself following my kismet into sleep.

**~Bella~**

I feel soft, warms lips ghosting across my face and for a second I'm confused until the weight of his arm around my waist reminds me of sneaking Edward in last night. My eyes snap open, eager to reaffirm the memory.

Bright pools of green highlighted by long, thick lashes greet me. "Good morning beautiful," Edward murmurs, his voice like butterscotch, "I thought that you might be a tad more pleasant when you awoke if you didn't have to deal with that damn alarm."

I hurl myself into his arms, "You stayed! You really stayed!"

He chuckles and his lips graze my temple, "Of course I stayed, silly Bella, I promised you I would, didn't I?"

I bob my head enthusiastically and hold him tighter, "Yes you did. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to doubt you."

"I know love," he answers, "By the way, I love what you've done with your hair, the haystack style looks good on you."

"Oh shit!" I yelp and run my fingers through my hair in an attempt to make it lay down.

"Don't hurt yourself Bella," Edward chides, moving to sit on the stool, "And I don't mean to burst your bubble, but you might want to consider getting dressed for school now if you want to eat breakfast before we go."

"I don't want to go to school, I want to stay here, in bed, with you and you're already dressed dammit," I grumble as I crawl off the bed and shuffle towards my closet.

I swing the door open and nearly fall over the large metallic blue bag sitting on the floor. I spin around to Edward, who gives me his perfect, crooked smile, "Your other present. I couldn't help but get it for you when I saw it. Please don't be upset with me."

I bend down and dig through the white tissue paper until my hands encounter something soft. I grasp it and give a few tugs, revealing a plush lion, complete with a messy mane of bronze.

"I remember you used to call me your lion and I wanted you to have something to wrap your arms around when I'm not here," Edward explains, his cheeks flaming, "Do you like it?"

I shake my head no as I hug the plush feline. Edward's smile fades until I giggle and dive into into his lap. "I love it Edward! Thank you!" I squeal and cover his face in light kisses.

"Your welcome my love," he replies a little breathless, "I was concerned that you'd think it was a bit junior highish to give you a stuffed animal for your birthday."

"I think it's wonderful," I reassure him with a kiss, "Now I'll have to get you a lamb for the same reason, unless you're too manly for that kind of thing."

"Never my love," he qualifies, then lifts me onto my feet again, "Now get dressed. What do you want for breakfast?"

I give the lion one last squeeze before reverently perching him on the pillows Edward had slept on, "Nothing big honey, I usually only eat a muffin or a granola bar on the way to school. Coffee is a higher priority at the moment."

He pushes his glasses up his nose with a finger and bobs his head once. "Your wish, my command, milady," he states with a bow and gives me a chaste kiss before heading downstairs.

I hastily dress in a pair of black low slung cargo pants and a tight fitting black long sleeved thermal before yanking my boots on and hauling ass to the bathroom. After a brushing my hair, teeth, and a quick swipe of black eyeliner around my eyes, I pull on Edward's hoodie, which nearly hits me at the knee. I grab my backpack and other necessaries, then bounce down to the kitchen.

"Busy night baby girl?" Jasper greets me as I enter the kitchen. He and Edward are leaning over, elbows on the counter top, watching the coffee brew in the two coffee pots.

"A lady never kisses and tells BB," I reply as I plop down on a stool beside Alice, who is meticulously applying her liquid black eyeliner.

"Whoa Edward, what did you do with my sister?" Jasper grumbles sarcastically, "Remember the days when she'd punch someone in the mouth for calling her a lady?"

Edward rubs his jaw thoughtfully while nodding, "Yes, I remember real fucking clearly. I was one of the first ones to learn what kind of power she had with her right hook."

"Like that ever stopped you from calling her one," Alice remarks, snapping her compact shut, "If I remember correctly, it make you say it to her more. Why are you wearing your glasses? Did you forget your contacts?"

She shakes his head no as he reaches for one of the million travel mugs we own, "No, I didn't forget them, I just didn't feel like wearing them today Ali-cat. You know, you don't need to wear so much make-up pixie, you're naturally beautiful just the way you are."

She rolls her aqua orbs and nudges me, "You know he's only wearing his glasses because you think he looks hot in them, don't you?" she stage whispers.

I shrug a shoulder at her and gratefully accept the mug Edward offers to me, "I can't help it that I like my guy to have brains and not be ashamed to show it. I'm lucky enough that Edward has brains, brawn, and enough sex appeal to make a nun think twice about her vows."

"Thanks angel," Edward whispers and winks at me, "Love you."

"Love you too," I answer before turning to my brother, "So when is Em and Rose arriving this morning? I'd hate to start without them."

Jasper shrugs as he stirs the hazelnut creamer into his brew, "I didn't know if we were still going to do it this morning, with Edward and James not knowing the route as well as we do."

"James is coming too?" Edward asks, mystified, as he prepares his own mug.

Alice chortles and bobs her head, "Yeah, I called Tori last night to tell her that we were going to do it this morning and James was there. He asked if he could get in on it and I didn't see a reason to tell him no, I mean it's only a $120 pot, well now it's a $160 pot, but you get my drift. It will be good practice for the race next month."

"Wait, you guys race?" Edward inquires, incredulous.

I light a cigarette and nod, "Yeah, we all do. Ben, Angela, Embry, Quil, even Sam and Emily. Hell, Jake and Leah have went a few times. We stay away from each other and pretend the other doesn't exist."

"Don't ask, don't tell all the way," Jasper interjects sagely, "We usually do it right outside of Seattle because that's where the good money is, but every now and then there's a few pick up races on the strip between here and Port Angeles."

"And we're going to kick all your asses, "Emmett's voice booms as he and Rosalie slink in the back door.

"Really Emmett?" Alice playfully inquires while Rosalie takes the stool to her left, "If you bring that busted ass Jeep of yours to the race, you will be laughed off the track before the flag ever drops."

He goes around the island and grabs two travel mugs and begins filling them. "Not with the mechanical genius of my wife to help me get it in shape before race day," he argues, "You're just scared that my Rubicon is going to flatten your little rice burner before you ever get the chance to lose to me."

"Um, Emmett," Jasper snorts back a laugh, "Bella's the one with the rice burner and her Supra has been tuned so fucking much that it can easily keep up with Ali's 911, so I'd be careful before you stick your foot in your mouth again."

"And what about your Mustang, you cowboy wannabe reject?" Emmett challenges, his devilish grin growing wider by the second, "You going to take a chance with it and race too?"

Jasper shakes his head, causing his blonde locks to falls across his forehead, "In Seattle? No fucking way. I'm better on my bike anyways. Bella is too, but she enjoys showing off her baby too much."

"Did I just hear that Bella's going to kick someone's ass on her bike?" Tori's voice precedes her and James' entrance from the living room, "I can't wait to see that. I know how well she can handle a motorcycle."

I waggle my finger at the ginger-haired vixen then pat the remaining stool beside me, "Emmett was just sticking his foot in his mouth again and Jazz was explaining that although I love my bike, I have a preference for racing my Supra."

"Where are the parental units this morning kiddies?" James asks as he also takes up the task of preparing a cup of coffee for Victoria and himself.

"Jake had to be in the office by six to go over revisions made to a clients blueprints and Leah left about a minute before Edward came downstairs, "Jasper confesses, tossing muffins to all the newcomers, "She's taking Seth to the vet for his shots and shit before going out to the cliffs and throwing herself off for the seventh time this month."

"Why is she jumping this time?" his pixie girlfriend asks, stealing a piece of my banana nut muffin.

"I think one of her clients this time," Jasper laughs, "The crazy cat lady that's obsessed with Egypt if I'm not mistaken."

"Mrs. McClain? She's still alive? She's got be be like a hundred and eight by now!" Edward's disbelief is evident.

"One-oh-two, to be precise," I correct, "Her sixth husband, Henry, died sixteen months ago."

"Damn!" Emmett exclaims, "She's went through six husbands! She's either drop dead gorgeous or she's loaded!"

"She's loaded," Jasper, Alice, and I answer in unison, making everyone laugh.

"Are we ready to go?" I question, pushing away from the island and grabbing my coffee.

Everyone voices their consent and Edward slings his arm over my shoulder as we file out to our vehicles. "Race officially starts when you touch the main road leading off the rez," Alice announces when we get outside, "You get pulled over, you forfeit automatically and there's no refund on what you tossed into the pot, and you have to pay your own ticket."

"You want to ride with me today?" I ask Edward as we reach my baby.

"I'm sorry love, but I can't today," he replies, his eyes apologetic, "There is somewhere I have to be right after school or I'd have no problem riding shotgun with you." I can tell by the tone of his voice that he'd rather not reveal his destination in front of the others.

"I'll see you at school then dear," I answer, accepting his mind boggling kiss eagerly before sliding into the driver's seat of the Supra.

"I promise not to take it easy on you," he vows with a cocky smirk as he closes the door.

"Ooh, you arrogant son of a bitch," I mutter to myself as I start the Supra and shift it into gear.

I blow him a kiss and wave as I pass by, he's only now getting into his car. I kick in a burned cd and crank up the volume. Paul Oakenfold's 'Ready, Steady, Go' starts blaring out of the speakers as I reach the end of the driveway and turn onto the main road.

I glimpse into the rear view and see Edward's silver Camaro coming up fast with Jasper's green Mustang right behind. Ah, Alice must be riding with Jasper today. Rosalie's crimson BMW and James' coupe, with it's blue flames, are already waiting at the starting line when I come to a stop beside them.

We watch for Alice's signal, her black and white checkered scarf. Her hand comes out of the Mustang's window. She waves it once...twice...we hit the gas on the third wave of the silk. The screeching of spinning tires echoes through the air as we take off down the black top, instantly vying for the main position.

As we speed down the asphalt, I manage to snag the early lead while the other vehicles with more similar horsepower contend to break away from the pack. Soon, however, Edward's SS and Rosalie's M3 pull away from James and Jasper, moving into second and third respectively. I shift into sixth gear just as we converge on the last hill before reaching town.

I have to slow down once I start passing houses thus allowing Edward and Rosalie to catch up. Jasper pulls a fast one, taking a few side streets and cutting off Edward less than six blocks from the school. Suddenly, I have to slam on the brakes just as James' coupe pulls in front of me from an alley two blocks from the parking lot. I spot a streak of green go passed me on the right, it shoots by the coupe and into the parking lot, Edward flying in right behind them.

Edward is already out of his SS, doubled over with laughter, as I park beside him and exit the car. "You sneaky bastard!" I hear James yelling to Jasper as he pulls in on the other side of me.

"Oh fuck you Jay," Jasper replies, "You're just pissed because you aren't the only one who thought of taking the alleys to get ahead of Bella. I happened to remember how much horsepower my sister's car has and knew I would need every advantage I could get, so quit your bitching. Oh, and I guess it's a good thing my girl already has the money, it doesn't have to go far to get to the winner."

"How many fucking ponies you packing underneath that hood Bells?" James inquires as he helps Victoria out of his car.

"About 820, give or take a dozen," I laugh as I take Edward's outstretched hand, "But I don't like to advertise it because the boys get jealous."

Emmett lets out a loud whistle, "That's a lot of power for such a little girl to play with little sister."

I turn and blow him a kiss, "That's not what Rose says brother bear. She's always telling us girls how she'd like for you to use a little more horsepower when you race with her."

"Aw man, I did not need to know that!" James whines as our group makes its way towards the school, ignoring the stares of the other students. We pick up Ben and Angela at the top of the steps. They offer their congratulations to Jasper and Alice on winning the race.

Of all fucking people to greet us as we walk into the building, I wouldn't have believed anyone that told me it would be Tanya Denali.

"Good morning Bella," she says in a sickly-sweet voice, "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend since you've been keeping him to yourself since yesterday?"

"Who is she?" Edward leans down and whispers in my ear.

"Tanya Denali, super tramp," I whisper back then kiss his cheek before turning to the cheerleader, "Tanya, this is Edward Cullen, my boyfriend."

"When did you start chasing boys Bella? I thought you batted for Team Rug Muncher," Tanya sneers, twirling one of her over processed curls around her finger as she bats her eyelashes at my boyfriend. SHe's obviously trying to be sexy but only accomplishes the look of someone who has something in their eye.

"Miss Denali," Edward turns his attention to the bitch, "Isabella has always been my girl, she simply entertained herself with the ladies while I temporarily lived out of state and was unable to give her the attention she needed. I'm sorry, but you don't seem to be up to either Bella's or my standards. So, before you ask, no thank you, she's not interested and neither am I."

"How dare you assume that I was trying to proposition you or that-that dyke tramp! Who in the hell do you think you are?!" Tanya spits, venom saturating each word.

"Oh, go give Newt a blowjob in the locker room like you did last year when Jasper refused to go to Homecoming with you, you stupid bitch," Alice snarls, Jasper grabbing her by the waist as she takes a step towards the other girl.

"Is there a problem here?" an authoritative voice interrupts our stand-off.

I turn around to find the source and audibly groan. It's Principal Greene himself and he's glaring at me. I know he's looking for a reason to bust me for something.

"No problem at all sir," Edward lies smoothly, "Miss Denali was just introducing herself as she was not attending school in this district the last time I was around."

He looks us over, searching for any signs that would contradict Edward, but apparently finds none because he finally lets out the breath he had been holding and nods, "Very well Mr. Cullen. Welcome back to Forks. Have a nice day."

"You too Mr. Greene," Edward flashes his crooked smile, "And thank you, it's good to be home."

Tanya stomps off after Principal Greene, babbling to him about the football game on Friday, and we manage to hold our laughter in check until they turn the corner.

"What the fuck was that about?" Edward asks between fits of mirth as we walk down the hall.

"Skankapotamus hates my guts because I accidentally outed her last summer after our little relationship fell apart and Greene hates me because--"

"Because you punched him in the face last semester," Edward finishes for me," You got expelled for that, if I remember correctly."

"Fucker should have kept his mouth shut," I growl in response. I can hear Jasper snort in agreement. The first bell for class rings, alerting us to the real world calling.

"And what kind of name is Skankapotamus?" Rosalie inquires as we reach our lockers. We made a few freshmen trade lockers when school started so we could stay close to one another.

"Well, I get tired of calling people big fat skanks," I explain as we get our books, "and one day I was watching this thing on Animal Planet about Hippos and it just came to me. Hippos are angry, ugly, and very rotund in a literal sense. Why couldn't the same apply to a big skank who is angry, ugly, sometimes metaphorically, sometimes literally, and occasionally both, and is also very large in the fact of how many people she'll fuck? Abracadabra, alakazaam! Tadoo-Pesto! Congrads, it's a bouncing bitchy Skankapotamus!"

"Fucking priceless Bellaboo," Emmett praises after slamming his locker door closed, "Mind if I plagiarize?"

"Not all Em, it's not copyrighted," I tell the hulk of a man as Edward takes my hand once again, "Have a field day with it."

"How does that brain of yours manage to come up with these things?" he asks while we wait on the others.

"It's a unique talent that comes with being used as a basketball by ones brother during infancy," I answer with a chuckle, "What class do you have first?"

"Gym actually," Edward responds with a grimace, "I get to look forward to spending my entire day all sweaty and nasty, oh joy."

I bump my shoulder against his arm, "I wouldn't mind seeing you all sweaty and dirty, especially if I got to be the one to help clean you up afterwords."

"I'll have to keep that in mind for another time love," he purrs in my ear before pressing his lips into the hollow beneath my ear and making me shiver.

I swat him in the chest, "You are such a fucking tease Edward, but I forgive you this time."

He rolls his eyes and gives my hand a gentle squeeze, "You hit like a girl, but I forgive you for it, this time."

"Asshole, I do not hit like a girl," I wink at him, "I might hit like Jasper though, so maybe you're right after all."

"Hey, you fucking traitor!" Jasper yowls, making the few of us left snicker at his expense.

The second bell rings and Edward gives me a slow, burning kiss before releasing me, "Time to go my love. I'll walk you to your next class after this, wait for me?"

I bob my head once, resisting Alice's insistent tugging on my arm. "Always," I vow and let the tiny woman drag me down the hall after I kiss him one last time.

I try to pay attention but it's impossible. My mind keeps being assaulted with thoughts of Edward in gym, his skin slick with sweat and the way his auburn locks have a tendency to fall in his eyes when he runs. I can feel my body start tingling as images of us sneaking into the shower room and making love while the rest of the students go about their day, oblivious to the ecstasy being experienced within these walls.

The bell ringing cuts off my fantasy abruptly. I'm not too upset because I know that my fantasy Edward has nothing in comparison to the real thing. Now I have to hope, once again, that I haven't lost my marbles. I gather my things and head towards the door.

I'm crestfallen, to say the least, when no bronze haired, green eyed god awaits me. I instinctively wrap both arms around my waist in a futile attempt to hold myself together and brace myself for the pain that is sure to follow.

Turning to make my way towards second period, I catch the aroma of sandalwood, cinnamon, and honey. "Edward," my heart leaps in my chest as I breathe his name. I spin on my heel to face him, only to have his arms ensnare me and pull me close.

"Isabella, you said that you would wait for me," he chides, then leans back. He cups my chin with his hand and raises my face until I look into his hypnotic emerald orbs, "What's wrong love, you're trembling!" I try to look away but he holds me firm. "No Bella, tell me what's wrong."

I sigh heavily, ashamed to have doubted him. "I had a moment Edward, but it's passed now," I hedge and try to move us down the hall, "We have to get to class."

He pulls me up short, easily guessing what my problem was about, "Bella, I know this is very difficult for you to believe, but I am not leaving you ever again. I will spend every hour of every day for the rest of our lives trying to make it up to you, if you'll let me."

"I know that Edward, I'm the one that's fucked up," I confess, tugging on him until he relents and begins following me down the hall, "It's just going to take some time for me to get used to you being really here, with me. Please don't be mad."

Edward pulls me close to his side and secures his arm around me as we exit the building, "You silly little lamb, I couldn't be mad at you over this if I tried. All this means is that I'm going to have to work that much harder to assuage your fears, which I will gladly do if it gains your forgiveness for leaving you alone for so long."

"Edward, stop it," my mind races as I try to find the right words, "There is nothing to forgive. You didn't choose to leave me, you were forced to and we both know that. It's not like you ran off for some stupid reason. You left because there was a court order stating that you had to go. Your parents would have ended up in jail if they had tried to stop it and your ass would have ended up in juvie hall if you had done anything to defy it. I. Don't. Blame. You. So stop feeling so damn guilty all the time, please, for me."

"How can I deny you anything when you look at me like that," he smiles and pulls open the door to the building where our next class resides, "Those big, soulful brown eyes looking so sad, and those plump, silken lips pushed into a perfect pout. How about this, I promise that I will try not to hold myself as responsible if you try to have a little more faith that I will be here for you?"

I reluctantly agree and he kisses the top of my head, "Fantastic! Ready for class?"

"Not even close," I qualify as we halt in front of my classroom, "What do you have this hour?"

I get a cocky smirk and a shrug as he follows me into the room. "Same thing as you," he admits, sounding quite pleased with himself, "The only classes we don't have together are first and last period."

We sit at the back of the class next to each other and pull our books out. "How did you manage that little feat?" I ask while wrestling with my backpack for my notebook.

"Easy, James and I broke into the school and switched our schedules around," he whispers while eyeing the teacher who has just appeared in the doorway, "I looked yours up and matched it as closely as I could. I didn't want us to be apart if I could help it."

I roll my eyes but don't try to hide the smile playing at my lips, "Now who is the presumptuous one?"

"Not presumptuous, my love," Edward chortles and reaches down to grab my notebook, easily extracting it from my bag."Sheer confidence," he concludes, placing my notebook in my hands.

We get no real chance to talk again until lunch, but even then it's sporadic because everyone is trying to talk to him at once. In lieu of speech, he pulls me into his lap, holding me close as we eat and listen to our lunatic friends as they recount some of the more memorable moments that occurred during Edward's prolonged absence. Luckily we're sitting in the corner of the cafeteria and both of us can lean against the walls and be comfortable with our current seating arrangement.

Jasper is telling a story about when we crashed the Homecoming dance last year when Victoria nudges me with her elbow, "Newton's staring at you like you grew a second head babe, be prepared for him to come annoy you."

I keep a watchful eye on the blonde football player and sure enough, towards the end of our lunch period, he rises from his table and approaches us with a determined expression on his face. The table grows silent as he comes to a stop in front of us. "So, um, Bella, are you, uh, going to erm, Jessica's party after the, um, game on Friday?" he stammers, his face turning several shades of red in the process.

I just stare at him, exasperated. Edward chooses to answer for me."I don't think so Mike. It's Mike, right?" Edward inquires in an innocent tone. He knows exactly who he's talking to but waits for Newton to nod before continuing, "As far as you or any other person in this school are concerned, how Bella spends her free time or who she chooses to spend it with is no longer anyone's business but mine. Feel free to spread the message Mike, now would you kindly let us resume our lunch without further interruption?"

To prove his point, Edward pulls me in close and draws me into a toe curling kiss right in front of Newton, only breaking contact to glare at the guy, one eyebrow raised in a silent question. Newton mumbles an apology and stumbles back to his table, clearly in shock at what he's just seen. We can tell when he informs the others at his table of what Edward said because they all glance over at us and begin whispering amongst themselves.

"This is going to spread like wildfire," I mutter in a low voice so only those at our table can hear it.

"That's what I'm counting on," Edward's voice is smug but his eyes are predatory as they scan the lunch room, "I don't want a single one of those children even entertaining the idea that they have a chance with my girl. The thought alone makes me want to break something or someone."

I graze my lips along his jawline, delighting in the cold chill that runs through him at my touch, "Feeling a bit territorial dear? You don't have to worry, they wouldn't have a chance even if you weren't here to protect me."

He caresses my cheek with the back of his hand, "Of course I'm feeling territorial Bella, they've had two fucking years to get into the habit of harassing you and I'm sure as hell not going to let it continue," his voice drops into a husky growl," You're mine and they need to get that through their thick fucking skulls before I have to pound it into them."

"Congratulations Bella!" Rosalie laughs from across the table, "It's a caveman! Now you get to experience what we," she points to herself, Alice, and Victoria, "deal with every damn day. Sorry Angela, but you don't count because Ben here is too sweet for his own good."

"That's alright, I understand Rosalie," Angela pats her boyfriend's hand which causes him to momentarily look up from his copy of 'The Zombie Survival Guide',"Ben's just more subtle with his caveman tendencies than the other apes around here. He has to be, none of you boys have to deal with a minister as your girlfriend's father."

"I don't think that I could survive something like that," Emmett admits, looking at Ben with something akin to awe, "I'd end up stuffing him in the dishwasher or something if he started preaching at me."

"Amen to that brother," Jasper calls out, raising his hand for a fist bump, which Emmett, James, and Edward happily comply with.

Minutes later, the bell rings and we give a collective groan before getting to our feet and trudging out of the cafeteria together.

Although my classes have been much easier to endure with Edward at my side, I can't help but entertain thoughts of ditching class and dragging Edward back to my house just so I can have him all to myself again. These yearnings are amplified when the teacher announces that today will be a movie and shortly thereafter turns out the lights so we can pretend to see the television screen better.

Edward and I scoot our stools closer together, with his slightly behind mine, and I rest my head on mine and Edward's outstretched arms while he rests his on my shoulder and his right hand rubs soothing circles in the small of my back. I know I'm supposed to be watching the movie, but all I can feel is his body wrapped protectively around mine and his breath blowing across my skin. Every now and then he'll turn his head and lay a line soft kisses along my collarbone and neck before returning his gaze to the movie. They seem innocent enough, but when the lights come on at the end of class, all I can recall are flashes of images that have absolutely nothing to do with the movie.

When the bell signals the end of class, he promptly gets to his feet, carrying both our bags, "Shall we, my love?" he asks with a wave of his hand. Once we're out in the hallway, his arm returns to it's rightful place around me.

"I don't think I saw any of that movie," I confess with a slight chuckle.

He cocks an eyebrow and a half smile touches his lips, "Oh really? You should pay better attention in class Miss Swan, it could have been important."

I elbow him in the ribs, "Yeah, well, if someone hadn't kept distracting me the entire fucking time, maybe I would have."

Suddenly I'm pinned up against the lockers and Edward is pressed up against me, his eyes dark and hooded, "Love, I was simply enjoying my time with you. If I'd wanted to distract you," his right hand ghosts up my side, over my breast and brushing my nipple, which hardens to an aching peak instantly, "I'm sure I could have thought of something worthwhile," he steps back and grins impishly, "Now let's get you to class, I don't want you to be late."

As we stroll back towards the building containing the gymnasium, it occurs to me to ask him about his after school plans. "Edward, is it safe to ask you what you're doing after school today?"

He tenses for a moment, then sighs and nods, "I have to go and see my therapist. I go for a two hour session once a week. It was part of the agreement my parents made with the court to regain custody of me."

"I used to see a therapist too, but it didn't work out too well," I admit, not wanting him to be ashamed.

"What happened?" he asks, those deep green pools burning with curiosity.

I shrug a shoulder, "Nothing real helpful. After the first real session that I opened up to the guy, he died. Later, I found out that he'd suddenly put in a notice for two weeks vacation after I left his office that evening and ended up blowing his brains out on the balcony of a motel that weekend. Let me tell you what an ego boost it is to know that you are so fucked up that it makes your therapist commit suicide."

We reach the building, but Edward spins me around to face him,"Are you serious?" he asks, "Do you truly believe what just came out of your mouth Bella?" I nod and he shakes his head. "I can't fucking believe this. It isn't your fault that some asshole though it was a good idea to bite a bullet. He made that choice, you didn't force him and neither did anything you said. Get that shit out of your head right now, got it?"

I bob my head once and he kisses my forehead. "That's my girl," he murmurs and pulls open the door for us to go in.

We walk in silence as we approach the gym, all the while I am fighting against the anxiety that comes with separating. Wearing Edward's hoodie has kept my head filled with his scent all day and I am desperately hoping that it will help.

When we reach the doors of the gymnasium, Edward pulls me into his embrace and just holds me tight until the warning bell rings. "Wait here for me after class and I'll walk you to your car," he whispers, his lips trembling against mine, "I love you, Isabella."

"I love you Edward," I answer and he kisses me one last time before dashing down the hall to his own class. I take a deep breath and pull open the door that leads to my personal living hell.

**Okay then, a little bit of fluff-n-stuff and some not so fluffy things. I did my best to give you a longer chapter than I did last time, hope no one is disappointed. **

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**for anyone who didn't understand that**

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	12. Chapter 11 Friday Night Fights

**I still don't own any copyrighted material....fucking redundant...**

**A/N: Yeah, I know this should have been out earlier, but it was a holiday weekend and I spent most of it chasing my kids away from large bonfires....they are such big firebugs it's not even funny. I blame their dad and their uncle for that.**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 11 **

**Friday Night Fights/Saturday Morning Sweets**

**~Bella~**

I'm still not quite sure how Emmett managed to talk all of us into going to the damn football game, but now that I find myself here, sitting with my friends, I realize that the vodka mixed in with my Code Red definitely helps take the edge off of things. Alice, Rosalie, Victoria, and I had been drinking since right after school when we had been dragged to Alice's house to get dressed up for the game. It wasn't fair to the boys, but we couldn't help ourselves. I usually hate drinking around people, but having Edward near to keep me from doing anything stupid aided me in lowering my normally stringent defenses for just one night. After all, it wasn't our idea to go in the first place so we were going to make the best of it.

We had ended up wearing matching outfits in different colors. Snug fitting tee shirts, too tight vests that maximized our cleavage, short plaid skirts, knee-high socks and different styles of Mary-Jane's; mine were black leather with chunky three inch heels. We look like demented, Goth porn versions of school girls from a Rob Zombie video. This is Alice's way of getting revenge on our boyfriends for making us sit out in the cold, damp weather of Forks for a stupid game. She even made sure that our canvas half trenches and umbrella's matched our outfits perfectly. I accepted quickly that if it wasn't for the alcohol in our systems, we'd be bitchcicles as soon as we stepped out of the house.

After the guys picked us up and drove us to the stadium, we chose seats that were closest to the band because Alice was a majorette her freshman and sophomore year and is still in the concert band that performs when football season wraps up. Angela and Ben are also in the marching band, playing flute and trombone, respectively. I had a brief stint in the jazz band until I got into an argument with the former band director over people fucking with my amp when I left it in his office overnight once.

"What are you thinking about?" Edward asks, drawing me out of my musical musings.

"Mostly about how the marching band is more interesting to watch than the damn football game," I admit, laying my head on his shoulder and snuggling deeper into the fleece blanket he had thoughtfully brought along in case I got cold.

"It's almost half time," he informs me, "Me and the guys were going to get something to snack on and maybe some hot chocolate, do you want me to get you anything?"

"A hot chocolate sounds perfect," I decide then break out into a fit of giggles when I see a cheerleader, it looks like Lauren Mallory, slip and fall on her ass during one of their routines.

Edward cocks an eyebrow at me and I point at the clusterfuck that has just occurred and we share a bout of mirth over the incompetence of some of the cheerleaders. He, Jasper, and Emmett begin cracking cheerleader jokes until I remind him of his promise of hot chocolate.

"Anything for you, we'll be back in a few minutes," he proclaims with a wink and nudges Jasper to indicate that it was time to go.

After giving us quick kisses, the four boys shuffle passed the other fans and make their way down to the concession stand.

"Do you plan on being unconscious by the end of the game?" Rosalie asks Alice, who is currently chugging her one liter bottle of vodka and cherry Pepsi.

Alice shrugs and takes the empty bottle from her lips, "I'll still be awake, don't fucking worry, you Brit bimbo."

Rosalie smacks the tiny woman's arm, "Keep it up you mini hippy freak and I will take some lighter fluid and a match to your fabric room."

The little pixie's eyes grow wide, "You wouldn't dare Rosalie Lillian McCarty!"

Rose's cherry red lips turn up into an evil smirk and her violet eyes twinkle mischievously, "You bet your ass I would Tinkerbell, don't push an English bitch when they're liquored up, you might not like the results."

Victoria stands up and stretches, "I don't know or care what you do to Ali's clothes, all I know is that I have to pee so bad that my back teeth are starting to float. Who's going with?"

We argue a bit until it's agreed that it's better that we go as a group so that our guys worry less. The rain has stopped for the time being so we leave our umbrella's and blankets in our seats and wind our way through the crowd towards the restrooms.

Of course there is a line a mile long by the time we arrive, so we take the opportunity to sneak in a cigarette while we wait. I wind my arm around Victoria's waist and rest my head on her shoulder for warmth as we chat while Alice does the same to Rose. We're about four people back when I hear a nasally voice from behind us.

"Geez, would you look at that Brandy, I didn't know that you could order color coordinated prostitutes," one wannabe Gossip Girl girl sneers.

"They must be down here trolling for teenage boys with twenty dollars to burn," cackles an Entourage reject.

The logical part of my brain is screaming for me to let it go, that I don't want Edward to see that side of me, but the vodka addled side is foaming at the mouth, screeching for a chance to knock the bitches teeth out of their fucking heads. The battle is short, vodka fueled bitch Bella wins.

I turn around and zero in on the group of eight girls, looking out of place at a high school football game in their fake Prada's and knock off Gucci's. "Sorry, but the stupid bitch bathrooms are over on the other side of the bleachers," I tell them in my sweetest voice, "Move along now little girls, before you get hurt."

"Oh my god, the trailer trash can string more than two words together that aren't associated with her disease infested orifices," one of the orange skinned blondes snickers.

"Please Bitchzilla, go eat another Ho-Ho and spare us your horrible O.C. impersonations," Victoria quips, earning a high five from Rosalie.

"And we're supposed to be scared of the dyke brigade?" Blondie snaps in her whiny soprano before cracking her gum in such a way that makes me want to rip her jaw off and beat her about the head and shoulders with it.

Instead of acting on that impulse, I raise a finger, "Hold on a sec. You might want to think about this a bit first. You seem to be challenging us to a battle of wits and yet you've obviously come unarmed. Should we give you a few hours to prepare before we kick your asses? Or were you in a hurry to have it done?"

I see the first hit coming and easily step out of the way, it's the second hit that I just manage to meet with my own fist with that surprises me. In the next moment, everything explodes into a flurry of fists, feet, and hair amidst banshee screams of rage and flow of curse words.

I catch one girl in the side of the head on a back swing and laugh as it knocks her head first into one of her friends who instinctively retaliates and punches the girl in the mouth. I admire the attack for a second, watching the girl scream bloody murder before kicking her in the chest and effectively shutting her up.

A chubby brunette tries to scratch at my face when she jumps at me, but I hit her with a front kick to the gut and knock the wind out of her, then grab her by the hair and drive a knee into her face before dropping low and sweeping the feet out from under two girls who are trying to tag team Alice. I have to jump backwards to keep the one from landing on me and I feel the sock on my right calf catch on the uneven concrete and shred as I move.

Suddenly my head gets wrenched backwards when another girl jumps on my back and proceeds to try and rip my hair out. I reach back and grab two fistfuls of hair and yank with all my strength as I bend forwards, successfully dislodging the bitch from my back. Gum popper girl streaks passed me and I manage to clothesline her, then stomp on her stomach as I step over her prone form and tackle the bitch who is aiming for Rosalie's back.

"Bella! Alice! Rose! Run! Cops are on their way!" I hear Jasper's voice over the din of the crowd that has gathered to watch the fight.

I quickly spot Alice again, who is sitting on a girl, pummeling her mercilessly, and run over to her. "Ali, we gotta get the hell out of here right now, cops!" I shout at her as I help her to her feet and throw her arm over my shoulder.

As we move I spot Emmett pulling Rose off of the orange skinned chick while Edward and James are ushering Victoria out of one of the gates to the parking lot.

Jasper appears at my side and picks his girlfriend up bridal style, "Let's get the fuck out of here before Paul shows up! If he finds out you were involved, he'll run straight to Jake and Leah!"

"No shit, that fucking Deputy is pissed because I wouldn't give him any," I growl as we run through the gate and into the parking lot, "Are you okay Jazz?"

He looks at me, confused, "You're the one who's just been in a kick ass chick fight and you are asking me if I'm okay? You really are brain damaged, aren't you baby girl?"

I give him the middle finger as we reach our cars, "I'm only as retarded as my family made me. Keep that in mind before you go bashing my mental stability BB."

Edward scoops me up in his arms and begins carrying me the short distance to his Camaro, which is already running, "I didn't mean to break up your sibling bonding session but we have to get you girls the fuck out of here asap."

I gratefully sink into the seat, "I'm fine honey, just shut up and drive. I need a minute to clear my head, I've got too much fucking booze in me."

He slides into the driver's seat and we take off after Emmett's Jeep, "I warned you that getting hammered at a football game may not have been the best idea tonight angel. It fucks with your judgment and gives you a short fuse."

I light a cigarette and roll the window down, "I'm not completely trashed Edward. I only had a touch of the warm and fuzzies before those fucking cunts decided to ruin our good time. As for affecting my judgment or having a short fuse, you ought to fucking know that they swung at us first and we were defending ourselves, so get your fucking facts straight before you start preaching to me on what was or wasn't a good idea. Besides, I knew that you'd protect me if I needed it."

He glances at me sideways and nods curtly, "Bet your ass I would, but let's not push our luck angel. We are going to my house to get you girls patched up, dad keeps enough first aid supplies to take care of an army battalion."

He hears my sharp intake of breath at the mention of his father and rushes to calm me, "Don't worry though, mom is with Leah and Kate for a girls night out and dad is working the night shift so there won't be anyone home to start any shit." He reaches out and takes my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before adding,"By the way, watching you kick another girls ass is hot."

I roll my eyes and pull my hand away, giving him an evil grin when his green eyes flash in my direction, startled by my sudden action. Without giving him any warning, I put both hands on the door and heave myself out of the open window until my ass rests on the frame. I close my eyes and revel in the feel of the cold wind on my face as the car barrels down the blackened road.

"What the fuck are you doing Bella?!" Edward shouts, reaching for me with his free hand while trying not to jostle the car, "Get your ass back in the car before you get hurt or we get pulled over!"

"Calm the fuck down Edward, I've done this before, just ask Jasper," I chuckle, hitching a thumb at the Mustang behind us, then take a drag off my cigarette, "I trust you not to get me killed and we don't have to worry about the cops because they're all at the game. All four of them."

"That's not the whole point Bella," Edward counters, his tone growing more anxious by the second, "Your jacket is gone, that shirt is torn up, and your legs are bare. I don't want you catching pneumonia or losing your grip and falling out. Now get back in the damn car before I have a heart attack."

"Edward, for the last time, I'm fine," I snap, finally annoyed with his over-protectiveness, "We are almost to your house anyways."

He's quiet a minute before delivering a low blow. "Please get back in the car Isabella, you're scaring me," he nearly sobs in a voice so low that I can barely make out his words. I feel my stomach twist into a knot and the alcohol in my brain evaporate, leaving me with a crystal clear head.

Without another word I ease myself back onto the seat and put the safety belt on. I can't bring myself to look directly at him, but I can tell he has a death grip on the steering wheel. I keep my head down and study my dirty, scraped up hands for the rest of the ride. I try to find something to say, but the words won't come so we spend the rest of the car ride wrapped in a tense silence.

When we come to a stop, I glance out of the corner of my eye and realize that we are in front of his garage. I tilt my head in Edward's direction and chance a glimpse at my kismet. He has one arm folded across his chest and the other rises upwards to where he is pinching the bridge of his nose. His eyes are clamped shut and his featured are wrought with unreleased emotion. Both cheeks have silver trails of wetness running down them and it hits me just how badly I fucked up.

"I'm sorry Edward, I was just trying to have a bit of fun. I didn't mean to scare you like that," I attempt to explain, but my heart isn't in it. I'd frightened my kismet to the point of tears and there is nothing in this world that will justify my actions now. "I won't do it again if it bothers you that much."

In a flash, he turns towards me and grabs me by my arms, "Promise me that you will never do anything so stupid and reckless ever again Isabella," Edward pleads, his voice raw with emotion and his eyes frantic, "Promise me right here, right now or I swear I will have Rosalie help me dismantle every single vehicle that you own so that you can't even go get a pack of cigarettes without someone giving you a ride."

"I promise Edward," I choke out, my own cheeks gaining their own trails of wetness as I speak. I'm willing to say pretty much anything to get rid of the haunted look in his eyes.

His body instantly slumps with relief, "Thank you Bella. You have no idea how much that means to me," he drops his hands to gather mine into them, "We've just found our way back to one another and dammit girl, I can't live in a world where you don't exist, so from here on out, please refrain from doing shit that could take you away from me."

"I'll do my best Edward, but I'm not perfect. I'm far from it actually. I'm just a sarcastic, broken screw up," I confess, fighting back a fresh batch of tears. If he only knew about some of the things I had done while he was gone. Things I did out of a need to feel alive again, just for a little while, instead of the dried up husk that I had normally walked around as.

He leans forward and his lips brush against my cheeks, wiping away my tears. "You're perfect for me Bella," he states reverently, "And I don't think you are broken or a screw up. People just don't know how to react to someone who is in the habit of thinking for themselves instead of conforming with what the main stream media views as acceptable. I'd rather have my intelligent, drop dead gorgeous, quirky, sharp tongued, free-spirited, and unique girlfriend than a cardboard cut out of one of those bitches from High School Musical or some shit."

"Okay, a little overboard on that one darlin'," I chortle, "Can we go in the house now? I'm freezing my ass off here."

Edward runs his nose down my jawline, to my ear and back, then kisses me softly before nodding, "By all means, my love." He cuts the engine then quickly jumps out to run around the front of the car and open my door.

"Trying to butter me up now?" I tease as he takes my hand and pulls me out of the vehicle.

"Not at all, I just want to get you inside where it's warm," Edward qualifies and leads me up the stairs to his front door, which is swung wide by James as we near it.

"It's about damn time Romeo," he taunts my kismet as we enter the house, "I was wondering if we were going to have to come and rescue fair Juliet here from you mauling her."

"You should be warned that Em, Jazz, and the girls have raided the liquor cabinet Edward," James warns while handing him a first aid kit, "Apparently Alice and Jasper remembered exactly where your parents used to hide the key and found out that no one bothered to move it anywhere else in the past few years. I am not cleaning up any vomit, just so you know."

I hiss as Edward takes an alcohol pad to my torn knuckles. "Sorry love," his tone is repentant so I simply nod and bit my lip while he continues disinfecting my wounds.

Alice, Rosalie, and Victoria prance into the room, carrying multiple bottles of liquor. Emmett and Jasper follow behind, their eyes gleaming wickedly and their hands grasping bottles of some sort.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to P-A-R-T-Y!" Alice squeals as she sits her armful down on the coffee table and kicks off her shoes.

Victoria giggles from over by the entertainment center, occasionally pulling out a cd and glossing over its cover before returning it to its rightful place and taking a drink from her bottle of what appears to be Grey Goose. "Aha!" she finally exclaims and loads one of the cds into the stereo system, "I absofuckinglutely love Fat Boy Slim!"

Edward rolls his eyes but smiles at her enthusiasm as he finishes bandaging my hands. "Time to do your legs now love."

I lift my right leg, which happens to be in the worst shape, and can't stop a sigh from escaping as he slowly pulls off the shoe and ruined sock before planting a kiss on the arch of my foot. His lips anywhere on my body will always elicit a similar response from me. It so happens that he knows that and is now exploiting it in front of our friends.

Jasper distracts him by touching a bottle of Jack to his shoulder, "Drink up Cullen, it's not like you'll be driving anymore tonight and one or two isn't going to diminish your ability to drool over my little sister."

Edward stares at the bottle for a few seconds, then grabs it and takes a couple of long pulls from it before handing it back to my brother. "Give me a few minutes to clean Bella's legs up and then I'll set the pool table up for everyone to play."

Emmett offers me a bottle of rum and I shake my head no, earning a gasp of surprise from everyone in the room but my brother, who grins mischievously at me and draws from the bottle in his hands. Jasper is finally getting a chance to relax, his confidence in Edward's ability to look after me giving him the green light to have some fun of his own now that I'm safe.

"What?" I ask, tearing my eyes from Jasper to glare at the others, "I've had enough to drink for one night and you fuckers are going to need a babysitter so you don't accidentally burn the place down. Quit gaping like fish at me and have your fun before I change my fucking mind."

Edward smirks as he finishes bandaging my scraped legs then helps me to my feet. After a chaste kiss, he leans down and whispers in my ear, "Don't fret Isabella, I'll stand vigil over the village idiots with you this night. Set up the pool table with me?"

I nod and he presses his lips to my temple. "Before I forget," I look around the room until I find what I need, "Jay, grab that bowl off the shelf behind you and pass it around so everyone can put their car keys in it."

There is a collective groan and I cross my arms over my ruined shirt, "Hey, if I'm babysitting you fuckers, we're sticking to the rules, and one of those rules is that you give up your keys if you're going to imbibe any alcohol so either cough them up or put all the liquor back."

It doesn't take any more convincing for everyone to place their keys in the wooden bowl. Once it is safely in my hands I look to my kismet, "Now we can go play a game of pool. I wouldn't have been able to concentrate knowing that this bunch of drunks still maintained the capacity to commit suicide by motorized vehicle."

He takes my hand, "No, now we get you into some clothes that aren't torn to shreds. I'm sorry I didn't think of it before asking you to help with the pool table, it was thoughtless of me. You can wear one of my shirts, if you'd like. If not, I'm sure I can find something of my mother's that will fit you."

"You know how I love wearing your shirts Edwards," I respond, wondering what the hell has gotten into him.

Edward leans down and kisses me softly, "I was hoping you'd say that," he murmurs against my lips before tugging on my hand and pulling me in the direction of the stairs amid cheers and catcalls.

When we reach his room, he plants a kiss into my hair and scurries to his closet. My gaze wanders over his room and takes in how grown up it looks now compared to the last time I had seen it. Light blue gray walls are the backdrop for the black and stainless steel furniture in the room.

Gone are the posters of comic book and video game characters, making the walls look strangely naked now. The curtains framing the ceiling to floor windows at the back are a midnight blue brocade. His king sized bed sits before the window, it's intricate wrought iron headboard peeking out from a mountain of midnight blue, black, and silver pillows. The duvet spread across the mattress is ink black.

I turn to the left and notice black shelving nestled in the corner beside his 42 inch plasma screen and it's filled with pictures. I draw closer to inspect them and am pleasantly surprised that easily half of them are pictures of him and I growing up and the rest are a mish-mash of our friends and family that were taken during numerous get-together's that our families used to have.

My fingers ghost over a picture that was taken the day before Ed Masen ruined our lives. Our families were having a bonfire down by the beach at La Push and the boys decided that they were going to teach us girls how to surf, even if it killed us. I was on Edward's back in the photo, my arms wrapped around his shoulders. His hands were wrapped under my legs, which were tightly wound around his waist, and we were in our bathing suits. Our hair is wet and our cheeks a little sunburned, but our glowing smiles told the world that we didn't care.

Who could have foreseen that the innocence glowing in our eyes in that moment would be torn away in less than a day? We were so caught up in each other and our friends that we had believed that nothing could stop us, but what a cruel mistress fate can be. The last drops of our shattered innocence shed a mere 48 hours later, a tiny bloodstain on a comforter as Edward and I gave one another the only thing we had left.

"I grabbed a few because I didn't know which you would like better," Edward's velvet voice wakes me from my reverie. I notice that he took time from scavenging to change into a dark blue long sleeved tee shirt and a pair of black sweats. "What's wrong love?" his joyous tone immediately turning concerned as I swipe away the tears that had unconsciously begun to cascade down my face.

I pick up the picture and show it to him, "Do you remember that day Edward? I was just thinking about how perfect it was."

He tosses the shirts onto the bed and crosses the space to cradle the picture frame, "Me and Jazz had convinced dad, Laurent, and Jake that we should teach you girls how to surf so you would stop laughing at us when we wiped out."

I chuckle in spite of myself, "Too late you guys realized that it only made shit worse because after two hours, we were wet, cold, and really pissed off. Well, aunt Kate and aunt Esme were pissed off, me and Ali were too damn happy to have legitimate reasons to grope and be groped without fear of death or dismemberment."

Edward chuckles lightly then lets out an angry sigh, "It was the day before big Ed showed up and ruined everything," He gingerly places the frame back in its place and turns to me, "We need to talk Bella, but you must change your shirt first and get comfortable, this could take a while."

"What about the numbskulls tearing apart your house?" I inquire as I go through the pile and find not only shirts, but a few old pairs of boxers as well. I pick a Final Fantasy X-2 shirt that has Tidus and Yuna on it and a pair of blue camo jersey cotton boxers.

"We'll sit on the landing so we can keep an ear out for them," he answers and walks towards the door, "I'll get you a blanket while you change, I know how you get cold."

What the fuck? Is he finally going to tell me what transpired during his time with the bastard? By the look on his face when he spoke, almost none of this is going to be good.

I quickly strip off my decimated outfit and redress in Edward's clothes before searching out another one of his hoodies and wriggling into it as well.

I pad downstairs to the landing that sits at the top of the first set of stairs. Edward has managed to not only scrounge up an old chocolate and teal comforter that used to be a favorite of ours to snuggle under, he also has thoughtfully included two turkey sandwiches and two mugs of hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows.

"I bring tidings of food, hot chocolate and blanket to keep milady protected from catching a chill," Edward announces like he has presented gifts to the Queen of England.

My stomach grumbles over the music wafting through the house at the sight of the sandwiches, "Are you sure that you can't read minds?" I tease him as he spreads the blanket over our laps and hands me my food.

He gives me a half smirk, his jade orbs glinting with amusement, while passing me my mug, "Regardless if I can or can't love, people are usually so damn easy to read that it doesn't take a mind reader to know what they are thinking. Watch people long enough and you learn to notices things that give away everything that's going on in their heads. Too bad that rule doesn't apply to you," his last words are so quiet that I can't be sure that he's said them at all.

"Oh, how did you know I was hungry then?" I ask between ravenous bites.

He shrugs and waits to swallow his bite before answering. "I didn't, if I'm being honest. I knew I was hungry and thought it would be rude to not make you something too, just in case. I'm glad I did now."

"Am I easy to read too?" I ask, knowing that he has no trouble figuring me out, "You already know me so well that you probably know what I'm going to do before I do it."

To my surprise he shakes his head, "No, you are far from being easy for me to read Bella. It's always been like that. You have never done what I expect you to. That's one small part that makes you so fascinating. I'd give my left nut just to peek into that big brain of yours simply to see what makes you tick."

I take a drink and snicker, "I tell you what I'm thinking all the time."

He shakes his head, suddenly frustrated, "You edit and you're so good at hiding everything that none of it shows up on your face either except for the occasional blush and lip bite," he reaches out and pulls my bottom lip out from between my teeth with his thumb.

Of course I blush at that, but he quickly gives me a kiss, making me forget what I'd been embarrassed about in the first place. When Edward releases his lips hold on mine, my brain kicks back into gear and I come to the realization that he is stalling about what he wanted to talk with me about.

I open my eyes and gaze into his, "You're stalling now Edward, why?"

He kisses both of my palms and lets go of my hands, "What I have to say if far from easy Bella. Ed Masen turned out to be a bigger monster than anyone could have foreseen and I'm afraid that once you know what happened, you won't feel the same about me. As it is, you are already upset and I haven't even begun to tell you what went on."

I light a cigarette and accept the small glass ashtray he pushes at me, "Edward, if I tell you once, I tell you a thousand times, I love you and there is nothing you or anyone else can do to change that. Of course I'm upset honey. Your pain, my pain, remember?"

His shoulders slump for a moment, then he looks up at me, and I see that the haunted look has returned. I brush back the ginger locks that have fallen across his forehead and his eyes close as he leans into my touch. "I love you Isabella," he breathes, his lips caressing my palm, "More than my own life."

"I love you too, my Romeo, but you'd better start talking before I completely lose my fucking mind," I inform my kismet, refusing to be distracted any longer.

He nods once against my hand and rights himself," You're right. I've put this off for far too long as it is. Where do I begin though? That James and I thought that he had staked a claim on me so he could access my trust fund and pay off debts he owed the mafia or that we'd been completely wrong in our assumptions about it and in all actuality, he wanted use me as a stepping stone to get into the mob? A mob that my parents are seemingly connected to quite intimately or, at least, they once were?"

"Start where you're the most comfortable," is my only answer as I take his hand in mine.

By dawn, my head is spinning with images of Edward and James' underground MMA matches that took place all over the country, Ed Masen's threats to use me as a sexual reward for the other fighters to keep Edward from breaking free and coming home, the beatings he took when he refused to put on a good show, and even his thoughts of suicide when he was bed-ridden and healing from various wounds. He was embarrassed to admit the depth of the intimacy that he and James had shared during that time, and relieved when I didn't hold it against him.

One of the hardest things for him to share is that fight he and Ed got into that ended in them falling two stories to the concrete below. Edward admitted that part of him had hoped that he wouldn't survive the fall because he would rather be dead that a modern day gladiator under the thumb of big Ed, as Ed Masen insisted on being called.

His tears begin to flow when he talks about waking up in the hospital and seeing Carlisle and Esme asleep by his bed. He still can't remember the details of the phone call he had made to them, saying that he'd gotten away from big Ed, but he does remember asking them about me and hoping that somehow I would be with them when they flew to Chicago.

"I spent three months locked up in a hospital room with fifty two broken bones, including a shattered shoulder and a cracked skull," Edward snorts and lights another cigarette, "The fucked up thing is that my head healed before my shoulder and my wrist would have been healed a lot sooner if I hadn't punched a brick wall and broke all the pins holding the damn thing together."

I run my fingers over the scars on his left hand and wrist, "Why did you punch the wall?"

He watches my fingers on his skin and shrugs, "I was pissed off because dad wouldn't give me any information on you or anyone else back here. Him and mom had just spent the entire day telling me about her fight with alcoholism and his stint in rehab for coke and he had the balls to tell me that all I needed to worry about was my part of us tying to be a family again. What a fucking hypocrite. And it's just gotten worse since coming back to Forks."

"How so?" I can't help but ask, steeling myself for the next bomb to be dropped on me.

"I over heard my parents arguing the other night and the Volturi were mentioned," Edward explains, still watching my fingers, "And earlier that evening I overheard mom arguing on the phone with someone and she mentioned big Ed and 'the family'. She called the person on the phone mother, but I was always told that her parents were dead. And the family that she mentioned had to be the Volturi because they were the one's big Ed was always making nice to."

I take a deep breath to steady my voice before asking,"Who are the Volturi Edward?"

He shakes his head angrily, "Only one of the biggest fucking mafia families known to mankind Bella. Okay, that is an understatement. They're not just a mob family, they're more like a secret order that's been around for damn near a thousand years. The Volturi have fun playing judge, jury, and executioner. I think they are what gave those old Italian and Sicilian families the idea of starting the mob in the first place."

I rub my face with my hands and let out and exasperated sigh, "Wait, are you telling me that your fucking mother is part of some fucking millennia old secret order that's posing as a mob syndicate in Chicago?"

Edward laughs, but there's no humor in it, "Yes...no...I don't fucking know Bells," he runs his hands through his hair absently, "It's so fucked up right now that I don't know what to do any more. Her and dad are just going to keep lying until this shit blows up unless I can get them to admit something, anything."

"I don't mean to be a bitch Edward, but are you ready for the answers they might have to give?" I interject, genuinely fearing what that knowledge could do to him.

"I don't think I'm going to have a choice for very much longer love," he confesses in a defeated tone, "Ed Masen is alive and I've been getting the feeling ever since I heard my mom on the phone that this shit is far from over. I refuse to sit here and do nothing, especially when you and the rest of the people I care about could be in danger."

"How do you know so fucking much about it if it's supposed to be a big secret?" I blurt out before my brain filter kicks in.

"I paid close attention Bella to the things that went on around me," Edward elaborates, "It's surprising what people will say in front of those they deem nonentities."

"Edward, whatever happens, you know I'll be here for you bec--" I'm interrupted by Alice's lilting voice.

"Bellie, Cedward! I have figured out what we're all going to be on All Hallow's!" she squeals as she slides across the hardwood floor and into our line of sight.

Edward and I look at each other, then back to the inebriated girl. "Say what short stuff? I didn't know we were going to dress up for Halloween," Edward inquires, amusement clear in his words.

She puts her hands on her hips and juts her bottom lip out in a convincing pout, "I know Bellaboo won't dress up unless you do so you have to do this Eduardo, for me? Please?"

"You are drunk little sister," Edward scoffs, though his voice is affectionate, "You won't even remember asking this come morning so I don't see why I should agree."

She falls to her knees at the bottom of the stairs and puts her hangs together in supplication, "Please, oh please, oh please Eddie? It's been so long since we've all got to be together and just be stupid kids having a good time."

"What the fuck are you doing right now Alice?" Edward stares at her, disbelieving, "Having Sunday brunch?"

She stomps her bare foot on the hardwood, then grabs it and begins hopping around in pain. "We're drinking!" she argues between squeaks of pain, "It's not the same game Fuckward! Not even the same goddamn ballpark!"

I can't contain my laughter any longer. "Alice, did you seriously just stomp your foot? You're not twelve you know," I jokingly chide, "No matter how much you look it. But you know, this reminds me of a joke Ali. Couple of guys were out with their girlfriends and someone in the bar screams 'Ho Down' and one of the guys starts looking on the floor for his girl."

Her blue green eyes sparkle with unshed tears as she glares at me, "Fuck you and the horse you rode in on Bella Swan. I do not fucking look twelve! And I'm not a gardening tool!" She stomps her other foot this time and ends up falling on her ass with a shrill yelp, "Fuck that hurt!"

Jasper and James come running in at the sound but stumble on a rug and fall into a giggling heap. "We heard Alice scream bloody murder," Emmett explains, shuffling in behind them, "Just checking to see if she's dead yet."

"I hurt my fucking feet!" the little pixie in question shrieks from her spot on the floor, "And you fuckers are laughing at me!"

"That's what you get for stomping while intoxicated Shorty. Not too quick on the uptake tonight though, are we, since you did it twice," Edward deadpans, inciting another round of girlish laughter from the intoxicated boys on the floor.

Rosalie saunters in to witness the debacle playing itself out, wobbling slightly despite being barefoot like everyone else. "What are you bastards laughing about? Did you catch Edward and Bella shagging or something?" she asks, her accent thicker than normal as a result of her heightened blood alcohol level.

"Alright you drunk fuckers, it's time for bed," Edward announces and gets to his feet, "Where's Victoria gone off to?"

"She fell asleep on the pool table about an hour ago," James qualifies while untangling himself from my still chortling brother, "I didn't think it was exactly prudent for me to try to move her, giving my present state."

"Good choice Jay," Emmett booms, clapping the young man on the shoulder and knocking him back to the floor, "I knew there was a reason I liked you."

"Wait!" Jasper calls out and tries to get to his feet," What about your dad Edward? We can't let him get to my baby sister or I'll have to kick his ass and I'm in no shape to put up a good fight."

"I think he'll be more upset about a house full of drunk teenagers cavorting around his house than a sober Bella helping to minimize the damage of the aforementioned inebriates," Edward admits, "Now get the fuck upstairs and go to bed before he gets home, that way we can avoid most of the ensuing bullshit."

"We didn't make that big of a mess, but maybe we should get it cleaned up before we crash," Emmett volunteers, always the sweetheart. It's nice to know that being drunk had no effect on his manners.

"Or we could go upstairs and fuck each others brains out," Rosalie whispers none to quietly in her husband's ear.

Emmett picks up his wife, and gives us an apologetic look. "Sorry sports fans, wifey's needs come before everyone else's. Smell ya later!" he laughs and dashes up the stairwell in search of an empty room to ravish his wife in. Well, I guess I can't complain there. At least the destruction will be contained now. Hopefully.

Edward carries Victoria up to one of the spare rooms while I carry Alice since James and Jasper are absolutely no help at all as they stumble up after us. After a slobbery kiss on the cheek from my brother as thanks for carrying Alice to bed, I meet Edward in the hallway.

"You look tired angel, would you like to catch some sleep too?" he asks, running the back of his hand up my cheek, "I can't go to bed yet because I'm going to have to explain a house full of sleeping teenagers to my dad when he gets home in a little while and I don't figure that you want to be there for that."

I grab his face with my hands and pull it down level with mine, "Edward, I've already told you that I am here for you no matter what and if that means dealing with your asshole of a father, then so be it. Is that getting through that thick ass skull of yours? Let me repeat it. I. Will. Always. Be. Here. For. You. No. Matter. What. Because. I. Fucking. Love. You." I punctuate each word with a kiss on his delectable lips and finish with one that I do my best fill with all of the love that I feel for him.

When we pull apart to get some well needed oxygen, he lays his forehead against mine, "I fucking love you too and I will never doubt again."

I smack him in the stomach, making him groan and double over, "You fucking better not Edward Anthony Cullen, because I've fought too damn hard to give you up now."

"So does that mean you'd rather get a cup of coffee with me?" he gasps, a smile taking over his mouth in spite of the pain.

"I'd love a good cup of java right about now," I quip and jaunt down the steps to the kitchen where I stop dead.

Standing at the counter, still in his green scrubs, is none other than Papa Cullen himself and he's staring at me like he's just seen a ghost. His blond hair is in similar disarray to his son's and I have to admit that he looks damn nice in scrubs. An errant thought runs through my perverted brain and mental images of what Edward might look like in scrubs begin assaulting me.

"Bella love, it's just coffee, there's no nee-" Edward's voice dies in his throat as his father comes into his view. "Um, morning dad, coffee done yet?" he immediately switches gears and goes into protective mode, deliberately crossing the space between us to interrupt Carlisle's unabashed staring and snatches two mugs from their hooks under the cabinet.

Carlisle shakes his head as if to clear it and turns his gaze from me to Edward, "What? Uh, yes, the pot is almost done brewing. Your mother keeps it on a timer for me when I work nights. How was the game last night?"

Edward shrugs a shoulder as he retrieves a plate of banana nut bread and some cream cheese from the fridge, "It was cold and muddy. The girls were miserable and freezing their asses off so we came home during halftime, but we were ahead by a touchdown when we left. Truth be told, if they keep looking like this all season, we'll make state no problem. Bella, want a piece? Mom made it," he offers the plate to me.

I take a slice and slather cream cheese on the top of it, "I don't know what fucking, oh, sorry, I mean frikking game you were watching Edward, but even an idiot like me could tell that there were only two reasons we were winning that game. One was the other team sucked something fierce and two was sheer luck on that last call by the ref or we would have been tied at halftime."

Father and son look at me like I had just spoke in Latin or some shit. "What? Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't appreciate football, though I'm more of an NFL fan myself."

Edward recovers first, "So what team are you rooting for then? The Seahawks?"

"Pssh, the Seahawks are all well and good, but I'm a Pittsburgh Steelers kind of girl," I counter with an evil grin, "Mom and dad were big fans and when I started watching them to see what the hubub was about, I got hooked."

Carlisle chuckles, relaxing at the neutral territory that we'd been able to find,"So who's your favorite player then?"

"I've got a soft spot for Polamalu because it's nice to see someone else with man eating hair, but I love Woodley and Ward because those boys know how to put the hurt on people when they need to," I explain as I pick at my food, "Roethlisberger is an excellent quarterback but I'm still having trouble forgiving him for that idiotic stunt he pulled a few years ago on his motorcycle. That was a bad move from someone that so many kids look up to."

"Wow Bella, tell us how you really feel," Edward snipes sarcastically as he pours a cup of bitter brew for each of us.

"Okay, stupid football topic of the day then," Carlisle interjects, grinning like the Cheshire cat now, "and I can summarize it in one word. Favre."

I groan and roll my eyes dramatically, "You mean the damn dinosaur that thinks he can still play? I feel so fucking, I mean frikking sorry for Vikings fans right now. Not enough to spot them any games or anything, but come on, they've pretty much landed a Commodore 64 to try to surf the Internet on. I'll admit that Favre was amazing in his heyday, but it's time to hang up the cleats and stop dragging these teams down because he's too damn prideful to walk away."

After a few more minutes of inane banter, Carlisle picks up the newspaper and his mug, "I'm going up to the den to read before I hit the sack. If you catch the house on fire, wake me up when it reaches my bed."

He gives his son a pat on the back and me a quick nod before disappearing to the second floor study.

"That went a lot better than I expected. Nice save with the football chatter, by the way, I didn't know you were so knowledgeable," Edward muses while pouring himself a second cup of java.

I hold mine out for a refill as well, "I seriously believe that if his eyes could have popped out of his head when he saw me, they would have. And thank Jazz and Jake for the football shit. I honestly have no clue what I've just spent the past half an hour saying."

"Never let me tell you that you're a bad liar ever again if that's the case," he chuckles and leans over for a quick kiss, "You were laying it out so fucking good that you had me completely convinced you knew what you were talking about."

"I'll keep that in mind dear," I smirk and neatly dodge the swat that had clearly been intended for my right ass cheek.

He tries to scowl but ends up laughing before shaking his head and lighting a cigarette for each of us. "You know, there is going to be a downside to bonding via football with King Carlisle. He's going to want to drag you into conversations about it now."

"Shit, I hadn't thought about that," I confess after hopping up on the counter, "I was trying not to get my ass arrested for trespassing or some shit and when you guys started talking football, I jumped at the chance. I'm going to have to learn football for real now, aren't I?"

He nudges my knees apart so that he is standing between them and tucks an escaped tendril of hair behind my ear, "Don't worry Bella, I'll teach you everything there is to know about professional football, if you want, but I wouldn't suggest us starting on that until you've showered and I've gotten a chance to change your bandages."

Then the realization hits me, "Oh god Edward! Your dad is going to know that I've been in a fight, especially after he sees what shape the other girls are in!" I drop my head onto his shoulder, defeated, "He's going to hate me forever because I can't seem to stop fucking up. Maybe he's right Edward. Maybe you would be better off staying away from me. All I seem to do is drag people down with me."

Edward cups my chin and raises my face until I look into his spectacle covered eyes. "Goddamn it Bella, stop saying that shit before I lose my fucking mind!" he growls in frustration, "You haven't dragged me or anyone else down so I never want to hear you repeating that bullshit again. And I'm kind of pissed off now because you just promised me an hour ago that you were going to be here for me no matter what and yet here you are telling me that my life might be better off without you in it."

"I'm sorry Edward, but sometimes it hard as fuck to pretend that I didn't do all of that shit and royally fuck my life up," I challenge, not breaking our stare-down while I pry his hand from my face, "I wish that I could go back, fix things, and be the girl you think I am, but I'm not. I didn't care about anything after you were gone, not even my own life. I wanted to die the physical death that my heart had already experienced and a few times I nearly succeeded. When that didn't work, I turned the pain around and used it on other people just so someone else could take my never-ending agony away for a little while. Now no matter what I do, people like your parents will always know what kind of monster that I can be and one day, so will you. I can't seem to stop destroying everything around me."

I can feel the hot tears stinging my face as my rant comes to a close. I move to brush them away, but Edward beats me to it, lovingly brushing his lips down the wet trails before planting a kiss on each of my eyelids. "I love you Isabella, I need you," he whispers repeatedly between kisses. "Don't leave me alone, please. I can't do this by myself, I'm not strong enough," he begs when I'm slow to respond, refusing to let me pull away and shut down like I told him I do when shit gets to be too hard to deal with.

"I love you too Edward," I finally mumble against his lips and feel the corners of his mouth turn upwards when I gratefully sink into his loving embrace.

"There's my girl," he murmurs in approval and strokes the tangled tresses that trail down my back. He holds me tight and begins humming my lullaby to me, not caring who might stumble in and catch us in such a vulnerable position.

Once I'm completely relaxed against his muscular form, he carefully picks me up and cradles me to his chest as we move through the house to his room. At first I think that he's changed his mind about our level of intimacy when he lays me down on the bed, but throw that hope out the window when he kisses my forehead and tells me to lie still while he removes my bandages so that I can get a shower.

He's so careful removing the gauze and tape that I don't feel the slightest bit of pain from his ministrations. My mind and nether regions are firmly planted in the gutter by the time he is done, but my tired muscles scream in protest when he helps me to my feet and walks me to the bathroom, where the shower has been filling the room with steam while my kismet had been attending to my wounds.

"I'll go through my things and find you a pair of pants love," Edward informs me as he goes to exit the foggy space.

I grab his hand before the door closes, "Um, actually I should have a bag in Jasper's trunk. I was supposed to stay at Alice's house last night so she had me throw my bag in Jazz's trunk when I got to school yesterday. Could you go down and see if it's still in there? There's a spare set of keys to his car on my key ring, if you're willing, if not, that's okay."

He rolls his eyes at me, "Of course I'm willing you, silly girl, though I might have to hide the shirts you brought just so I can get you into another one of mine. If it's there, I'll bring it up and leave it on the bed for you, alright?"

I bob my head in agreement then grab his hand again, "Wait, where are you going to go after you get the bag?"

He pats my cheek, "I'm going to use one of the other bathrooms to get a shower myself love. You know, sleep deprivation makes you very confused angel. I'm going to have to get you into a bed soon before you start hallucinating or some shit."

I smack his hand away and stick my tongue out at him while trying to ignore my now damp panties, "You're walking on thin ice now mister. A girl can only handle being called names by her boyfriend so many times before she retaliates. Now get the fuck out the bathroom so I can use up all the hot water, you fucking jerk."

He kisses my hand before backing out of the room. "As you wish," he whispers with a bow and shuts the door before I can respond adequately.

I strip down and slip into the shower before my body overrides my mind and I go chasing after my too goddamn sexy boyfriend and fuck him senseless before he knows what hit him. As I situate myself under the water, I realize my mistake when I take what is supposed to be a cleansing breath and instead have my nose filled with the scent of his soap. My thighs are instantly soaked and it's not from the water flowing over me.

Why the fuck am I reacting like this after everything that's happened?

_How long has it been since you got laid? Too fucking long, if you ask me._

We can't, Edward wants us to wait dammit.

_Wait for what exactly? You're not getting any younger, you know._

He wants us to know each other again before we take that step.

_No one ever said that you couldn't take care of yourself though._

Good point.

_Of course it is, now get to work, I'm dying here!_

I brush off the fact that I'd just lost an argument with myself and let my hands skim across my slick skin, imagining that it is Edward touching me. I have to bite back a moan when I graze my nipples with my palms, making them instantly pucker and stand erect in anticipation of the next bit of contact. I ignore the throbbing in my chest and slide my hands down my stomach, towards the ache that has begun at my center.

I lean back against the tiles and lift one foot up on the little bench to give myself better access before slowly drawing a finger along my slit. Thoughts of the sensation being brought on by Edward's tongue makes my hips twitch involuntarily and the tip of my index finger brushes my sensitive bud.

This time I fail in my attempt to stifle the sound that erupts. My free hands snakes its way back up my body to find a nipple and begins twisting and flicking it as I mimic the motions with my other hand. Soon, my body is screaming for relief and I pinch my aching nub one last time before sliding a finger into my core with a throaty moan.

I close my eyes and let my head fall back as I pull my finger out and then plunge back in with two digits this time, delighting in the mental images of Edward's engorged member being inside of me, filling me, pounding into me repeatedly. My orgasm hits me quickly with me fervently gasping my kismet's name as I fall over the edge

I feel a slight stirring of the air and my eyes snap open to see Edward, completely naked and fully aroused, dropping to his knees in front of me. "I need to taste you Bella," he half moans, half pleads, his voice hoarse and thick with lust.

I'm past the point of arguing as he wraps his muscular arms around my thighs and lifts my legs over his shoulders in one fluid motion. In the next motion, his head dips forward and his mouth makes contact with the apex between my thighs. I hiss and dig my fingers into his wet hair as his tongue begins lapping me at a furious pace. "Edward...feels...so...good," I whimper, unable to form a coherent stream of thought long enough for anything more.

He shifts under me slightly and then I feel one of his long fingers slide into my quivering center. I try to move in rhythm, but he tightens his grip on me and adds a second finger. The best I can do at this point is hold on for dear life and bite my lip to keep from screaming out loud in ecstasy. My insides clamp around his fingers when my second orgasm erupts and cry out when suddenly I feel empty. The sound is barely out of my mouth when I feel his tongue delve into me, his mouth sealing itself around my entrance.

When he feels I have no more juices to extract for the moment, his mouth releases me and he slips my legs from around him while he looks up at me. His eyes are dark and swimming with lust as his lips leave a trail of fire up my body, all the way to my mouth. His tongue forces entrance into my mouth and I can taste myself on him as our mouths devour each other. Gently, he lifts me by the hips and I wrap my legs around his waist.

After I'm safely secured to him, Edward reaches behind us and turns off the water before throwing open the glass door and moving us out into the bedroom. Our kiss doesn't break as he lies us down on the duvet. The grip I have on him with my legs relaxes in time for him to thrust his hips forward, successfully burying himself to the hilt inside of me. We both moan into the other at the feeling we've both been denying these years.

We lay there for a few minutes, nothing moving but our hands and lips as we revel in finally being joined as one once again. When the need to breathe becomes too much to ignore, our lips separate but his never leave my skin, continually ghosting across the superheated flesh of my face, throat, and even my collarbone as he begins to move at a slow, agonizing pace.

My body doesn't lay still for long and soon I am writhing and gyrating against him in perfect synchronization. I hear my name tumbling from his mouth over and over, almost like a sacred chant. I'm half surprised to hear myself answering with his own name as my lips and hands encourage him to continue his rhythmic movements.

I can feel the tell tale signs of my release approaching and try to convey my need for him to go faster, harder, and deeper without words because right now I can form none, but he understands and complies perfectly with my wordless pleas and moans. He raises himself up and begins pummeling into me with less and less restraint, the sounds of our bodies colliding now adding to the chorus of sounds flowing freely from us.

"Bella..I'm..going.." Edward pants as his movements become jerky and sharper.

I dug my heels into him, urging him ever faster, "Me too, hurry...it's safe..."

His mouth clamps down on mine as we simultaneously find our release. While not truly a kiss, it's more like crying out into each other, a completion of our souls fusing permanently, irrevocably, irreversibly, for all time.

After a minute of catching our breath, he rolls us over so I lay flat against his chest without our bodies separating. "I love you Isabella, always," he whispers reverently as he pulls me closer to him.

"As I love you Edward, always," I vow and lay my head over his heart to hear it's erratic palpitations return to a more steady cadence.

I had no intentions of falling asleep in Edward's bed, especially not naked and wrapped around him so sinfully, but the next thing I know Edward is covering my face in butterfly kisses. "Time to wake up love, we have to get dressed before someone comes in," he utters in his husky, velvet voice that I love so much, "I know you're awake sweetheart so stop hiding those beautiful brown eyes from me."

I smirk against his bare chest, but keep my eyes tightly shut. He shifts suddenly, making me gasp at the discovery that he was still inside of me. I feel myself grow wet instantly and my hips buck in response.

He doesn't fight me as I grind myself on his hard member, instead he helps my endeavor by grasping my hips and moving me on him more aggressively. This time, our love making is hard and fast, no loving words exchanged, no gentle kisses or caresses. This is a pure animalistic need to find release. He grunts and growls underneath me as our bodies crash together in a desperate race to fall over the edge of sensual oblivion. His name is on my lips as I am swept away, but it comes out as a guttural moan just seconds before it is echoed by my kismet.

"What a way to wake up from a nap love. My life will be perfect once we can wake up every day like that," Edward punctuates his statement with a kiss before rolling us on our sides and breaking our intimate connection.

I bite back a whimper at the sudden hollow feeling exuding from between my legs and sit up, "We need to get dressed Edward. It's wouldn't be good if someone like Emmett came barging in here and found us like this, would it?"

He scowls at me for throwing his logic back at him, but nods and points to the end of the bed as he rights himself. "Your bag," he explains when he notices the baffled expression on my face.

"Thanks love," I tell him as I reach down and pull the canvas duffel to me and unzip it.

Edward slides out of the bed behind me, slipping into his boxers and jeans while I dig out my underthings and a pair of jeans to wear as well. He retreats into his closet as I dress, appearing with two black long sleeved tee shirts. He tosses one to me and tugs the other over his wild head of hair. I pull mine on wordlessly and seek out my hairbrush.

I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and groan internally. "Edward, can I borrow one of your bandannas to wear? My hair has gone insane," I grumble as I give the evil eye to what has to be the worst case of sex hair ever.

A black and white piece of fabric lands on my head and I hear Edward's guffaws as I remove it from my head and put it on properly.

As soon as I have it secured, Edward's arms wrap around me from behind and his head is resting on my shoulder, "You look so damn sexy wearing my shirt Bella. Makes me want to bring one to school for you every day just so I can see you in them."

I rest my head back against him, "I wouldn't stop you if you did it love. The thought of being engulfed in your shirt and your scent all day makes me want to melt."

"I won't forget Bella," Edward warns as his nose moves along my jawline, "Are you hungry? The others are up and I have a feeling that our carnal bubble is about to be burst by people wanting to go out and eat."

I subtly grind my ass against him, "We could always stay in and eat."

I feel his tongue run up the length of my neck before he clamps his teeth down right wear my shoulders begin and he sucks hard for nearly a minute before letting me go with a snicker. "As good as you taste, I don't think anyone else would like it if I put you on the menu as my main course."

With that, he lets go of everything but my hand and drags me out of his room. I'm less than surprised to meet the others as we reach the bottom of the stairs.

"We were just coming to drag you to out of bed and go get some breakfast," Emmett informs us as we come into their sight.

"Em, it's one in the afternoon, no one is serving breakfast now," Alice responds with a smack to her forehead.

"Maybe not in Forks, but I guarantee that somewhere, someone is serving breakfast," he fires back, an ornery grin taking over his features.

"Sounds like a road trip," James ponders aloud as we move into the living room, "I wonder if crazy bitch waitress is still working at the place that doesn't sell pancakes."

"What kind of breakfast place doesn't sell pancakes?" Jasper inquires, his eyes dark as storm clouds.

"Some place in Port Angeles," Edward tells my brother," I can't remember the damn name of it, I was too fucking wasted to care at the time."

"I for one don't feel like driving all the way to Seattle just to get some fucking breakfast," Rosalie huffs and folds her arms to her chest in annoyance, "So we either give up on the idea of finding some place that sells breakfast or we go to the market and get what we need to do it ourselves."

"I don't care either way," Edward qualifies, shifting his legs and pulling my back flush against his body as he leans against the wall, "But if we're cooking it will not be done here. My dad was pretty cool about everyone being here this morning, but I don't want to push my luck with anything just yet."

My brother looks at us in confusion, "Did he know Bella was here?"

We both nod at him solemnly. "Yeah, Bella even talked football with him for a while before he stalked off to read the paper before going to bed," Edward elaborates as he takes the cigarette that I lit for him.

After twenty five minutes of arguing, we abandon our thoughts for breakfast and opt for invading Arby's because it's close and we were getting really fucking hungry.

As Edward holds the door of his Camaro open for me, I have to fight back tears as all of my friends, smiling and laughing, fill my vision. What did a fuck up like me do to deserve such loyal and wonderful friends?

"Something the matter?" Edward asks, his concern obvious.

I shake my head and smile at him, "Nothing at all sweetheart. Just deliriously happy right now."

"Me too angel, me too," he agrees in a low voice as I get in the car and he closes the door.

Within minutes, our vehicles are speeding up the highway and I can't help but smile because I have the feeling that Alice is going to get her day of having a day out with the group.

**Okay, that's chapter 11 done and out of the way. Hope everyone enjoyed. If you didn't, you know what you can do by now.**

**Reviews are appreciated so reward my hard work by pressing the button at the bottom and give me a treat! In my eyes, rewards are almost as good as shower sex with Edward!**

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	13. Chapter 12 Discombobulation's Abound

**Still don't own anything copyrighted....**

**---Who else tortured themselves with MTV's Video Music Award's just for a glimpse of a few more seconds of New Moon? Give me a show of hands? *raises hand***

**---Who squealed like a little girl after seeing the extended trailer? *raises hand again***

**---Who stuck around for Muse? *raises hand yet again***

**---Who thinks November is taking too damn long to get here? *jumps up and down waving both arms in the air***

**A/N: Okay, time to be pathetic because I'm getting disheartened again by the lack of reviews. Please review and if you like my story, by all mean, pimp it out. Oh, and if you want to pimp yourselves out in my reviews and shit, feel free.**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 12**

**Discombobulation's Abound**

**~Edward~**

One month.

Thirty days.

Seven hundred twenty hours.

It may not seem like a lot of time to some, and too much time to others. For me, it is a personal milestone because today is October 13th. Exactly one calender month has passed since finally reuniting with my beloved Isabella after surviving two torturous years at the hands of Edward Masen. Although our relationship itself is as solid as ever, fate has not made the rest of our lives easy. Let me tell you, fate has one fucking twisted sense of humor on top of being a vindictive bitch.

Tonight will also be our first official date, finally set after weeks of mishaps, mix-ups, and my reluctant father. Though Carlisle's acceptance has grown by leaps and bounds, he is still by no means believing that Bella and my relationship will last longer than it takes to graduate high school. Little does he know that I fully intend on marrying my brown eyed angel as soon as high school is out of our way. Sooner, if at all possible. Now if we can only make it passed the first real date.

Fuck I'm nervous.

Bella had ended up in another altercation at school last week when one of the fucking football players had groped Victoria in the parking lot before school. Both Victoria and Bella ended up suspended as a result. What pissed me off the most about the whole situation wasn't that Bella had been in a fight, it was the fact that even with over a dozen witnesses, the damn principal took the assholes word over everyone else's. I had a doctor's appointment that day and didn't find out about the debacle until I had arrived for lunch.

I'm not even going to go into what me and the other guys did to that little fucker when we got our hands on him after the game that week. All I can promise is that he is breathing and he will never touch another woman inappropriately again for the rest of his miserable fucking life. I heard he should be released from the hospital in time to attend the Halloween dance.

Ugh. Halloween dance. As much as I love dancing with my beautiful girlfriend, I am not looking forward to attending the damn thing. It wouldn't normally be an issue but me, Jay, Em, and Jazz forgot a cardinal rule and bet against Alice. Obviously we lost, and now little Miss Short Stuff has 100% creative control over our costumes. I think we might be going as vampires or some shit, but you never know with Alice. To make matters worse, Bella and Jasper's band will be playing at the dance and it's the first time the they have performed at such a venue.

"What the fuck are you thinking so hard about?" Jasper elbows me in the side, "I swear that there is smoke coming out of your fucking ears."

I glance around the room to see if the girls are done torturing Bella yet, but it's still just us guys piled into the Black's kitchen. "I was thinking about our date tonight," I admit finally after determining that there are no females present, "After all the shit that's went on, I'm so worried about fucking something up that I didn't sleep at all last night."

"It's the Oedipus Effect," Emmett muses from his perch on the counter.

"Say again Confucius?" James asks wearily, intently staring at the new commercial sized coffee machine as if willing it to brew faster.

Emmett shifts his weight and straightens up to his full height, "I said Oedipus Effect. Eddie, you're so damn worried about screwing shit up that you'll most likely overcompensate and make it happen anyways. Hence, the Oedipus Effect, otherwise known as a self fulfilling prophecy. That is some of the reason you and Bella have so much trouble, you know. You two expend so much energy trying not to do anything that could lead to you being separated again that very soon it may be inevitable that one or both of you will do something that may do just that."

"Whoa, look at Mr. Big Brain," Jasper says, clearly awed by Emmett's open show of intelligence.

"Does Rosalie know you can do that? I mean, you don't exactly come off as a bookworm dude," James humorously taunts while doing a little jig in front of the now full coffee pot.

"Of course she knows _Jazzy and Jay_," Emmett retorts as he gets in our informal line for his turn at the suped-up java machine, "I keep no secrets from my wife. She'd kill me in an extremely slow, painful way if I ever did and she found out."

I pick up Bella and my travel mugs and get behind the other three men, "What else are we supposed to do Em? We've already discovered that being apart doesn't turn out so well for either of us so all we can do is work our asses off to make sure it won't happen again."

"Quit trying to force things to happen and just allow life to take its course man," Emmett sagely advises as he takes the glass pot from Jasper and fills him and Rosalie's mugs, "You and Bella spend all this time talking about fate and destiny but then turn around and fight it every step of the way when it tries to guide you. That's why shit keeps blowing up in your face."

"What keeps blowing up in who's face?" Alice's sing-song question breaks the bubble of testosterone that had formed, "Please tell me that someone is actually considering letting me burn everything in Bella's closet so I can buy her a better wardrobe. The only thing lower than her fashion sense is her instinct for self-preservation."

Jasper catches her as she dances by and gives her a kiss, "Sorry darling, no such luck. You should know better than to try and change my baby sister's views about acceptable wardrobe. Not everyone runs a designer label like you."

Alice snorts and takes her mug of decaf out of his hand, "Yes, well I had hoped that she would care a little more about how she dressed now that Edward's back home, but I guess I can ask the Goddess for only so many miracles in one lifetime in regards to that girl. It's not like I'm forcing her into the cliched labels either. Most of them are out of the Gothic or Punk genre, which Bella favors, so I don't see the problem."

I grind out my smoke and take the pot from James, "I think the problem is that Bella has always made her own way Ali-cat and maybe it's time you accepted that like the rest of us lowly humans. For fuck's sake, she still gets pissed when one of us tries to pay for her lunch so I don't think that she'll be receptive to your desire to help her fashion sense anytime soon, oh Muse of All Things Fashion."

"Of all things my almost sister-in-law needs, a bigger ego isn't one of them," Bella snickers as she strolls into the room and I can't help but laugh at her tee shirt. Written in big white and red letters across her chest over a set of manacles and a whip are the words 'The Safety Word is More'. Then I see her pants and I understand why Alice was having a meltdown. She's wearing a pair of black khaki capri's that are covered in little white and red skulls and she's wearing a pair of dark red boots, leaving a slice of her shapely calf exposed for all to see.

"Good morning love," I murmur as I nuzzle her neck, making sure to kiss the heart pendant resting just above her breastbone, and wrap my arms around her, "cute pigtails. Watching NCIS again?"

She hums contentedly and leans into my lips that are now pressing into her jaw, "There is nothing wrong with having Abby Sciuto as a role model. She is one smart, sassy, and sexy ass Goth chick. I'd seriously love to get a chance to fuck her six ways to Sunday."

Her words send a jolt through me that settles deep in my groin. "And I'd seriously love a chance to get to see you do that," I whisper-growl in her ear then quickly pull the collar of her shirt open and press my lips against the hickey I'd marked her collarbone with the other night.

"You smell absolutely sinful Isabella. Are you sure we have to go to school today? I'd love to take you upstairs and see if the rest of you tastes as good as you smell." I emphasize my words by darting my tongue up her neck and kissing the hollow beneath her ear.

I feel a shiver race through her frame, and my ego triples in size. I get brought back down though when she gets revenge by grinding her taut rear into my pelvis, before dancing away to pick up her black and yellow Steelers travel mug off of the counter. A low growl rumbles out of me, but she pretends not to hear it.

"Who's driving today?" she inquires, leveling her mischief filled mocha eyes on me. This girl is going to be the death of me, I swear.

I pretend to debate it for a minute until her bright smile begins falling into a scowl. "Oh, why don't we take your baby today? I'll be driving tonight anyways," I determine and flash the particular grin that I know will keep me out of trouble with her. She calls it her favorite crooked smile, I call it the 'Get Out of Jail Free' smile when I use it on my Bella. With a temper like hers, I'm glad to have such a useful defensive weapon in my arsenal.

Her stance doesn't change and her eyes are slightly out of focus as I step closer. Wonderful, here we go again. "Breathe Bella," I chuckle and graze my nose up and down her jawline.

Suddenly she gives me an exasperated look and smacks my arm, "Goddammit Edward, stop dazzling me or I'm going to kick your ass."

I can't bite back a more pronounced chortle this time, "I dazzle you, my darling Bella?"

She shrugs out of my grasp as her cheeks turn rosy. "Frequently," she qualifies and pulls on the Red vs Blue hoodie of mine that I'd brought for her. Yeah, I've never missed a day of bringing her a shirt of mine to wear either. My girl wants to wear my shirts and dammit, what my girl wants, my girl gets.

"I'll have to remember that the next time you're being difficult about letting me buy you something, I'll just dazzle you into submission," I shamelessly taunt as I pick up our bags and open the door for her.

"Great, cocky Edward's come out to play this morning. Good luck with that Bellie, you're going to need it," James quips as the eight of us slink through the chilly drizzle to our vehicles.

I give him the middle finger and help Bella into the driver's side of her Supra. "You'd better catch up with Red before she drives off in your precious coupe Jay," I warn him before dropping into the passenger seat and slamming the door shut.

"Hey!" Bella growls as she starts the car, "Easy with the fucking door or you're ass will be joining him on the walk to school."

"Um love," I point to the yellow Porsche that's rapidly growing smaller in front of us, "Jasper and Alice are in the 911 and have already left."

"Those cheeky bastards!" she yelps, using one of Rosalie's favorite phrases, and stomps the gas pedal, causing gravel to fly out behind the car as we speed down the lane to catch up.

To everyone's dismay, Emmett and Rosalie win the race this morning, in Rosalie's M3 of course, and Emmett makes it a point to rub it in our faces every fucking chance he gets.

By lunch time we construing a plan to knock Emmett out, bind him with duct tape, then throw him in the back of James' car and go drop him off of a bridge somewhere when James suddenly elbows me and nudges his chin in the direction of the main entrance. I turn around and immediately feel all the color drain from my face.

A young man about Bella's size and a girl that rivals Alice in the petite category are standing near the doors. Both have pale blonde hair and dark eyes which are currently scanning the cafeteria. Dressed in designer labels, they look out of place amongst the children of a largely lower-middle class population. My gaze is so focused on the two figures walking in that only Bella stomping on my foot captures my attention.

"What the fuck is going on?" she hisses at me under her breath, "You and James look like you've seen a fucking ghost. And before you even think about it, don't you dare bullshit me Edward Cullen or I'm kicking your ass into next week."

I rub my face briskly and force out the breath that had caught in my chest before grabbing her hand and yanking her to her feet a bit more roughly than I'd intended. "Not here. Outside, now," I quietly command everyone as we head towards the door en masse.

I snake my arm around Bella and pull her to my side protectively as we make our way around the building to a secluded spot big enough to hold us all. James keeps giving me furtive glances as I attempt to sort my raging thoughts into something manageable. I have an overpowering urge to drag Bella to the car, jump in, and drive until we hit the East Coast, but smother the impulse the best I am able to given the circumstances.

Finally the suffocating silence becomes too much for my kismet to handle. Bella lights a cigarette and snorts as she snaps the silver lighter shut, "You two know who those kids were. I, we want to know exactly what the hell has you two spooked and ready to bolt and we want to know right fucking now."

Her chocolate eyes burn into mine until I sigh and drop my head back against the wall, "The Volturi have decided to come to town. Those new kids, and I use that term loosely, are Alec and Jane Volturi. Brother and sister, twins, and beloved children of none other than Aro Volturi, who, as you should remember, is one of three brothers who rule the North American clan out of Chicago. If they're here, trouble is sure to follow." I hate having to tell them this shit, but I don't see any other recourse now.

"Did you just fucking say Volturi?" Jasper asks in a strangled voice, his mercury eyes wild.

I spin around and face him, "Yeah, why?"

He nervously runs his hand through his hair, "We might have a bigger fucking problem than you originally thought then."

"What do you mean?" James inquires. I can see his hands are balled into fists as they rest on Victoria's waist.

Jasper uncomfortably shifts his weight from foot to foot for a few seconds before growling in frustration, "Fuck me running. Emmett, remember that fuctard Demetri that tried to hurt Bella in the bathroom during the back to school party? His full name was Demetri Volturi."

Emmett tightens his grip around Rosalie, "Oh shit man. Felix told me that Demetri was just some jackass he met at a frat party. Could that be why they're here? Because of what we did to Demetri? We fucked him up pretty good that night."

Memories of big Ed's threats about turning Bella into a party favor flood my skull and I stumble back into the wall. I tug at my mess of hair as I knock my head off of the bricks. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," I mutter to myself repeatedly.

This can't be fucking happening. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

_What? You always knew that they might follow you home. Why act so surprised that they actually did?_

Because me and James were working on a contingency plan that would have kept everyone safe.

_Not everything goes according to plan. Remember your failed attempt to run from the police the night big Ed came to get you? Tell me, how did that work out for you?_

That's different, I was a fucking fifteen year old kid who was scared shitless back then!

_Are you going to lie and tell me that you're not scared now?_

No, I'm not scared.

_Bullshit._

I'm fucking petrified.

I open my eyes and peer at each one of my friends, my adopted family. I glance at Bella as I feel her hand slip into mine, then look back to the groups startled faces. I cannot bring myself to give them the explanation they rightfully deserve.

James scowls at me, "If Jane's here, you can't go back in there Edward because she will throw it all to the wayside to get her claws back into you."

Bella for the first time, looks afraid as she whips her head back and forth between me and James. "What?! Why would that scrawny bitch want my Edward?" she nearly shrieks and her free hand clamps down painfully on my still tender wrist. I can't bring myself to make her loosen her grip on me because I'm just as scared as she is.

"I've got some bad news for you dear. Jane has a bit of a thing for your boyfriend, "James admits, his gaze sympathetic, "And she has a well-earned reputation among the fighters for being one scary bitch. Anyone that's wanted to fight for her was either masochistic or just plain old stupid."

She turns her face up to mine, her inquisitive chocolate orbs peeking from under her lashes,"What does he mean Edward?"

I pull a hand free to cradle her heart shaped face, "She wanted her daddy to make big Ed give me to her as a sweet sixteen gift. He wouldn't do it otherwise. He is a sick bastard but even he felt sorry for any of the fighters Jane got a hold of. That was the only time I've ever felt gratitude towards that motherfucker."

Bella presses herself as close to me as humanly possible and my heart sinks to see her lower lip trembling with fear. "Why? What did she do?" she pushes, her voice surprisingly level.

Brushing away the tears that have begun to overflow onto her ivory cheeks, I do my best to keep my voice calm, "Because she liked to, I'll call it experiment, with her toys and they never survived for very long when she was done playing with them. If they did, the poor bastards were left horribly scarred. There were rumors that she'd even driven some of them insane with her sick games."

"Oh my gods," Alice gasps, clinging tighter to Jasper's shirt, "She tortured them? That sick little bitch!"

"Regardless of what brought them, they're here now and we have to stick together no matter what," James explains while trying to comfort a tearful Victoria, "The Volturi have no qualms about using the people you hold dearest as bargaining chips to get what they want."

"James, you already know this shit so I'm not going to bother," I drop my hand from my kismet's face and look to Jasper and Emmett, "You two, stick close to your girls at all times. Girls, don't go anywhere, and I mean any-fucking-where alone. Ever. Sleepovers and slumber parties are about to become the new norm from here on out until we can figure out exactly why the fuck they're here and what they want."

"Edward, you're going to have to tell your parents. If we work together, maybe we can save you this time," Bella blurts out, her voice melting into a quiet sob at the end.

"Oh angel, don't cry," I beg, pulling her to me and burying my face in her hair as her head falls against my chest, "I'll tell them and I promise we'll work something out. I'm not going anywhere Isabella, I promise."

"I'll kill the bitch if she comes near you," Bella vows in a low growl, "I'll fucking destroy anyone that tries to take you from me."

"Okay, who's up for ditching the rest of the afternoon?" Emmett booms, making everyone jump and turn towards him, "What? You heard Eddie and James, no one goes anywhere alone. Edward and James won't go without Bella and Victoria. Jasper will follow but won't go without Alice, and I won't let any of my little sisters go without me but I won't go without Rose. I could do this all day but it gets redundant real fucking quick. It's simple logic to just bypass all the damn the arguments and ditch together from the get-go."

No further arguments are given and we being the trek to our cars. I catch Bella anxiously rubbing the cuff on her wrist as we walk and grab her hand.

"Sorry, nervous habit," she mumbles, guiltily peeking at me through her lashes and I do my best to show her a reassuring grin.

As we reach her car I give her hand a gentle squeeze, "I love you Isabella."

She tries to smile, but it comes to fruition as a mangled grimace. "I love you Edward."

She allows me to drive her Supra to my house, something I am grateful for because it gives me time to think. I send a text to both my parents as I navigate the car up the winding road, telling them that there is an emergency and I'll be at home waiting for them.

Bella is silent during the ride but keeps her hand resting idly on my thigh, thus maintaining constant contact with one another. Occasionally she glances over and gives me a tiny smile and I notice the fear in her eyes receding every time they lock with mine. The only trouble with her fright taking a backseat is that her anger is clawing its way to the surface.

If someone had told me six months ago that my Bella had evolved from a brilliant but shy bookworm into a still brilliant, but scary-beautiful hellcat, I would have laughed at them for such an absurd notion.

Needless to say, I'm not laughing now.

The layers Bella carefully built around herself have transformed her into a woman with a seemingly endless well of strength, wit, and unedited brutal honesty, delivered in equal amounts. To the world she no doubt has a tendency to come across as an abrasive, cocky, and angst-ridden teen with a chip on her shoulder just begging for someone to tip it.

She is getting angry because it's an easier emotion to deal with than any other. It's pure, unrelenting, and best of all, offers a numbing effect that kills the pain, if only for a little while.

As I watch her anger grow, I am struck with the realization that deep down, hidden so thoroughly that even I was unable to see it at first, Isabella is once more the broken and bleeding girl that I begged to close her eyes and count while I stole out of the attic like a villain.

When we finally reach our destination, I cut the engine and hastily make my way around to the other side of the car to gather my wounded angel in my arms before filing into the house with the rest of our friends.

Jasper watches us plod in and his eyes widen momentarily before he gives me a sad, knowing smile and an apologetic shrug. He knows what is happening to my beloved because, to him, the signs are obvious.

A quick glance at Alice informs me that she is also aware of the transformation Bella is undergoing. By the pained expression on her face, it seems that the tiny woman is mourning the loss of the loving, trusting woman all of us have been lucky enough to have encountered.

After all that we have lived through, the pain we've endured and managed to overcome, this should be a walk in the park for us.

Then why do I feel like I'm watching my kismet die inside?

_Because hope is a fleeting thing for her right now. She believes that you will be torn apart again no matter how hard you fight. _

That's not going to happen goddammit!

_Then you'd better get your ass in gear and prove it to her before she's goes so far into herself that you can't reach her._

I look at the clock and determine that it will be another fifteen minutes before my parents arrive.

My mind wanders to the antique box that I've wanted to give Bella since I was twelve years old.

More than enough time to prove that I'm never leaving her again.

I hope.

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly before leaning down to whisper in my angel's ear.

**~Bella~**

I feel Edward shift behind me and then feel his warm breath on my neck, "Isabella, would you come up to my room with me for a moment?"

I nod in response to his request and allow myself to be pulled up the stairs.

Under normal circumstances I would have been doing the happy cheese dance in my head at the chance to be alone with Edward, but ever since James and Edward's admittance of the presence of Volturi in our midst, my brain has been running on autopilot. It's nearly impossible to fight because my natural response to the thought of losing Edward again is to shut down and protect myself from the pain that is sure to follow.

The mental novocaine is forced back minutely upon entering Edward's private space and I'm assaulted with images of our time in here during the past month. My fury at the unwelcome interlopers flares dangerously when Edward drops my hand and bolts into his closet.

Is he planning on us running away together? What about the others? Would that draw too much attention?

_What if he plans on leaving on his own to divert the attention away from us? You'll be alone again._

He wouldn't leave me! He promised! Together no matter what!

_Get over yourself and grow the fuck up! How many times do you have to be told that life isn't a fucking fairy tale and there is no such thing as happily ever after?!_

Then I will fucking shred any and every motherfucker that tries to break us apart. There is no fucking way I'm giving up without a fight this time. I will not lose him again.

I light another cigarette and peruse the photo's that Edward has tacked on the wall beside his television. They've all been taken within the past thirty days and encapsulate our entire group.

I feel Edward silently come to a halt behind me. "Bella, please turn around, I need to see your beautiful face when I do this," his voice is barely a whisper but the connotations of his words thunder throughout the corridors of my mind.

Oh no. I can't do this, not again. This time it really will kill me.

I let the numbness return and feel myself detach from the flurry of emotions trying to rise up. In one fluid movement I spin on my heel to face the one who is about to break my heart for a second time.

I don't see him immediately and lower my head to find him on his knees, hunched over what appears to be a small box.

Right then I don't see the scarred warrior that had come home to me because before me kneels the fifteen year old boy who is once again scared to death because he's losing everything he holds dear.

My legs give out from under me and I crumble to the floor, mirroring Edward's pose. "Edward, I--" all words fail me when his head snaps up and his green eyes stare at me with an intensity I've only seen once before.

"Isabella, I know that you think we will fail, that we will be rend asunder no matter what and have already begun to mourn," Edward takes a deep breath and exhales loudly, "I think, no, I know you are wrong this time. I'm going to prove it to you right here, right now."

He lifts the box and opens it to reveal a ring that has a double row of diamonds accenting a marquise cut tanzanite jewel that it easily a half a carat. "This belonged to my biological mother and her mother before her. It was the engagement ring my grandfather had presented to my grandmother. When Elizabeth was dying, she made Esme promise that she would give it to me when I finally found the girl I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

My kismet pulls the ring out of its satin bower, grabs my left hand, and slides the ring down onto my ring finger before I can react. "I've known since I was twelve years old that it was you I wanted to spend forever with Isabella Marie Swan. It's only ever been you. If I wasn't such a selfish creature, I would ask you to marry me, but we both know I am not so selfless. I'm not going to ask you for your hand in marriage because I can't stand the fucking thought that you might say no. Instead I'm telling you that one day, you will be my wife."

Edward kisses the ring before shifting his gaze back up to me, "I know that right now, if you would let me, I would get our fake ID's, drive us to Vegas, and make you my bride before the sun sets tomorrow. I don't care that we're too young, or rather, that people think we are too young, to make this decision, but you and I know better. It was never a choice, not since the second we opened our hearts to each other. You see, that's why this will work, why we will work. We are meant for each other, the rest of the world be damned."

I look at the ring for a few moments, then back to Edward, who now has tears streaking down his face. Carefully I lay my free hand against his cheek and lean forward to give him a soft kiss. "I know who I can't live without," is the only reply I offer and it seems to be enough because that perfect, crooked smile overtakes his face for a nanosecond before his lips claim mine in the most emotional, passionate kiss of my existence.

We eventually part to breathe and he rests his forehead against mine, "So what do you say, want to run away to Vegas with me tonight? I already have the ID's. I had one's made for everyone so we could sneak into a bar sometime in the near future, but they work just as well for us to get married. The sooner we get it done, the sooner we can tell those assholes to fuck off."

"Halloween," I offer, the gears in my head kicking into overdrive as I unwillingly begin to hope that this insane plan might work, "None of our parents expect to see us the whole weekend as it is because they're going camping in an effort to reconnect or some shit, remember? We could be there and back by the time we have to go to school on Monday. Hell, if we could find someone to do it in Seattle, you and I could have the weekend to celebrate."

"Why wait until Halloween if we can find someone in Seattle?" Edward asks, his own wishful thinking making his eyes glow like twin emerald pyres.

"Because that is the only time we can be sure that no one will be around to stop us," I answer, "Besides, we still need to get wedding bands, don't we?"

He gives me a quick kiss, then nods, "You'll need a dress as well. I cannot marry you before the eyes of the world like I wish to, but that doesn't mean you can't have a wedding gown."

I make a face for which he raises an eyebrow to as he pulls me into his lap. "Opposed to a wedding dress?"

I shake my head no and snuggle into him, "Only if it's white. I'm not going to subject myself to a glaring white monstrosity because of Christianity's twisted concept of purity and virtue."

He nods thoughtfully then rests his cheek on the top of my head, "So what color would you prefer? Let me guess, my little Gothic princess, as black as you can find."

"It matches the color of my heart," I reply, twisting my new permanent piece of jewelry around my finger.

"Bullshit," Edward snorts while brushing a few rogue strands away from my face, "If your soul truly is as dark as you make it sound, that must mean I don't have one at all."

I go to retort, but our cell phones buzz simultaneously, giving the warning that at least one of Edward's parents have finally arrived.

He lifts me onto my feet and follows suite. Right as his fingers touch the doorknob, I stop him, "Can I tell Jasper? At least about your non-proposal?"

Edwards softly caresses my cheek and gives me a kiss, "You can tell anyone you feel you can trust my love. As for Jasper, I had every intention of asking him to be a witness when we marry. Alice too. It's always been us four against the world, I don't see how this changes anything."

I bite my bottom lip for a moment before bobbing my head, "You're right. Maybe she can help me find a dress that won't embarrass you. It would also draw less attention because she buys stuff like that all the time to inspect and modify."

He shakes his head, "You could never embarrass me, my love. And I think getting Ali's assistance in this would be a good thing. Ready?" He swings the door open.

"Not even remotely," I grumble and slink out, pulling the sleeves of Edward's hoodie over my hands as we trudge down to the living room.

We luck out, in a way, as both Carlisle and Esme are sitting in the living room with our friends when we walk in. Carlisle gives us a questioning look, obviously assuming that we were up to less than innocent endeavors but confounded that neither of us show any signs of illicit activity.

Esme, bless her, wordlessly gives both of us a hug and drags us down onto the loveseat beside her. She seems not to care when Edward scoops me up and deposits me into his lap before securely winding his arms around my waist. The moment we're settled though, she wraps her arms around her son and I before resting her head against his shoulder and my head. I can physically feel the love radiating from the woman and it makes me smile in spite of the circumstances surrounding this meeting.

If Leah's the closest thing I have to a mother, Esme has always taken a close second. That's why it had hurt so much when Edward's parents cut all ties with us kids after he was taken from us. I can't force myself not to be happy with her holding us like she is, it feels too right.

After Carlisle takes a tally of everyone in the room, he clears his throat and lets his buttery gold eyes fall upon his son. "What's the emergency that all of you had to leave school for?"

Edward slides his hand into the left sleeve of my hoodie and begins rubbing my ring, "The Volturi are in Forks. To be more specific, the jewels of the Volturi family. They appear to be new students at Forks High, James and I saw them in the cafeteria today. We chose to take the safe route and get the hell out of there before either of them recognized us. We were on our way here by the time I sent that text to you."

Esme's hold on Edward and I becomes so tight it's almost suffocating, "Carlisle, we can't let Edward or James go back there until we know what they want."

Carlisle rubs his face and exhales loudly, "It could be a coincidence that they are here. Esme, you know the troublemakers those two are. It is possible that Aro sent them here to lay low for a while after one of their stunts."

Esme and I jump at the sound of Edward's angry snort, "You can't tell me you believe the crock of shit you just spewed dad. You know the most likely reason that they're here. They've come to reclaim what they view as their property. There wasn't a snowballs chance in hell that I was going to let my friends stick around and be subjected to their barbaric methods of interrogation, and I sure as fuck wasn't going to let either of those miscreants anywhere near Bella."

His father glares at him, "If you and James had just slipped out and came home alone, they wouldn't have known the difference Edward."

Edward grips my hand more firmly,"I made a fucking judgment call based on the little bit of information I have. Whether it was right or wrong has ceased to have any bearing on the current problem. Now I apologize if you're pissed, father, but in this case, it was easier to ask forgiveness than permission. You have to understand why I made the decisions I did, or did you want to get a phone call from the cops informing you that your son was being charged with two fucking murder charges? Because that's what would have happened if Jane or Alec had gotten anywhere near Bella or the others."

"Edward wasn't the only one to make that call Carlisle," James interjects, annoying clouding his tone, "I'm over the age and came to the same conclusion he did. We needed to get us and our friends the fuck out of Dodge before we got noticed. If you're going to bitch at him, you might as well have a go at me too."

"If you want the whole truth Mr. Cullen," Emmett speaks up, his southern drawl exaggerated by his annoyance, "The only ones under the age in this room are Alice, Edward, and Bella. The rest of us are legal adults and made the conscious decision to follow our friends. We share equal blame in this sir. Besides, I'm the one who suggested we skip our afternoon classes, not Edward."

"Uncle Carlisle, you know us," Alice lilts from her perch on Jasper's lap, "No matter what stupid, harebrained things we've done, have we ever lied about the important stuff?"

"No you haven't sweetheart," Esme answers for her husband, "None of you have ever lied when it's counted." My stomach churns a little at her words and the once miniscule weight of my ring suddenly feels like it grows a few tons.

"Thanks Auntie Es," Alice flashes a wide grin at the caramel haired woman before looking back to Carlisle, "Why would we make something up like this? Our families have looked out for each other since the four of us kids became friends in the second grade. Why in the world did you think that would stop just because a few more psychos are out to get Jay and Edward?"

"Can't we go to the police over all of this?" Jasper pleads, pulling his tiny girlfriend closer to him.

"The police care very little for the private altercations that occur amongst the wealthy as long as some of that extra money gets tossed in their direction," Rosalie's violet eyes grow flat and dark as she speaks, "They'll be more likely to side with the highest bidder than with whoever is in the right, trust me, I have some experience with this."

Emmett's expression is alarmed as he turns to look at his wife, "Rose, you don't need to talk about that darlin', not until you're ready, and now may not be the best time for it anyways. You are already upset and I'm worried what it would do to you."

Her visage softens as he lifts her hand and presses a kiss onto her wedding band. "Alright Em, but soon though, okay? With so much happening, we can't afford not to be completely honest with each other now. They are family and deserve nothing less from us."

"Whatever you want Rosie," Emmett concedes before turning to face the room again, "So, let me get this straight. We now have two sociopaths with a penchant for torture attending Forks High. Said burgeoning serial killers may or may not be here to put Eddie and Jay back on their leashes but could also be making an appearance on behalf of the pile of shit that we kicked the shit out of almost two months ago. Did I miss anything other than the fact that if they are here about Demetri, Jasper and I just got targets painted on our backs?"

"Aside from not being able to grasp why anyone would want to murder breakfast foods, that sounds about right Emmett," I jokingly agree, thankfully making everyone chuckle slightly at my awful attempt at humor.

Unfortunately the mirth is short lived. Edward and James take turns revealing the horrors they had lived while in the custody of Ed Masen. Alice excuses herself at one point, citing the need for fresh air. When she returns, clamoring into my brother's awaiting arms, no one brings up how we could hear her getting sick off of the side of the porch.

During the conversation, Victoria hauls James across the room to cram themselves onto the loveseat beside Edward, Esme, and I. Victoria and James are sitting similarly to us and I can see the fear in Tori's eyes as she listlessly rests against her boyfriend's chest.

I reach out and take Tori's hand in my own, giving it a peck before letting them drop in my lap. While the others sift through their brains in search of something to say, we end up shifting around in our guys laps until our foreheads nearly touch, one of my hands in hers and the other covered by Edward and his mother's.

I feel Edward give me a kiss on the top of my head at the same moment that James mimes the gesture with the red head in his arms. This is why I can't let them see just how afraid I am, my friends will be distracted enough as it is.

When there are no more revelations to be had, everyone falls into an eerie silence. I did not think it would be possible for a space to achieve this state of quiet when harboring ten people in such close quarters. It makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck actually.

"So what do we do?" Jasper breaks the unsettling quiet, ignoring the startled jolts a few give at the sudden sound, "I think that our first priority should be protecting the girls. If the threats Masen had used on Edward to keep him in line are anything to base their methods off of, we're dealing with the possibility that the girls could already be being targeted."

"Uncle Jake, aunt Lee-Lee, Mom, and Laurent need to be told too," Alice gives Victoria a sympathetic smile, "Sorry Tori, I don't think it would be a good idea to tell your parents. They will just make things worse by calling the police, I can feel it."

Victoria bobs her head once, "I think they would too so I'm all for not telling them Ali."

Our weight shifts slightly on the loveseat as Esme rises from it, "I'll call Leah and Jake. Carlisle, please call Kate and Laurent and invite them over for dinner. Tell them that Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett have already been invited by Edward. It might be better if we waited until they were all here before dropping this on them."

"I agree. I'll call that little Italian place up in Port Angeles and order takeout for everyone. I know the drivers from there will meet me halfway." Carlisle practically runs out of the room as he produces his cell phone from a pocket.

"Does anyone else get the feeling that the so called grown ups know more about the Volturi than they've let on?" I blurt out as soon as the parental units are out of earshot.

Everyone murmurs their agreement. Emmett elaborates a bit, grumbling something about conspiracies and hoping that he doesn't end up with a severed horse head in his bed.

"At least you would stop having dreams about being dressed in a toga while naked Playboy bunnies hurl pickles at you," I taunt as I get up to stretch my stiff muscles.

The others follow suite and we migrate to the back deck to get in a cigarette while Esme and Carlisle make their phone calls.

We are still standing out in the increasingly cooler October air, us girls wrapped snugly in our guys jackets, when two other parentals arrive, looking fraught with panic as they clamor out of their vehicles and up the steps to where we are gathered.

"What the hell is going on Jasper? Bella?" Leah exclaims, her normally warm voice now wavering with thinly veiled panic. Jake stomps up behind her, his expression mirroring my aunts spoken inquiry.

"Once everyone gets here, everything will be explained," I choke out, trying to smother the compulsion to hide myself in Edward's arms. He senses the minute shift of my body against his and starts rubbing small circles in my back, causing me to sigh in response to the comforting motions.

Esme's appearance and offers of coffee save my brother and I from any more scrutiny. She gives us a sympathetic smile as my aunt and uncle enter the house, I mouth a thank you back to her just before she disappears after them.

A few minutes later, Carlisle silently winds his way through the crowd gathered on his porch and makes his way to the black Mercedes parked out front. It seems to me that he purposely avoids looking at Edward and I standing so close together as he waves goodbye and I feel Edward stiffen slightly, confirming my thoughts. Calisle is angry at me again, only this time, I have no idea why.

"Not to piss you off or anything Edward, but what the fuck is your dad's problem? He looked like he wanted to punch something," Emmett grumbles under his breath to us as we watch the car fade out of sight.

"He doesn't like me too much right now brother bear," I confess, intently focusing on the glowing cherry of my cigarette, "Don't be pissed. He just has a few unresolved issues about some of the shit I've done the passed couple of years and this who clusterfuck must bring dredging it all back to the surface."

"He needs to pull the stick out of his ass and get with the program," Alice huffs in a fit of annoyance, "There's enough fucking drama going on to put a Mexican soap opera to shame, why can't he just accept that Bella is who Edward wants and move on to more important problems?"

"Because if my dad doesn't have some kind of drama going on as a constant, he's just not happy," Edward deadpans, glaring in the direction the black car went, "It must be a doctor thing because I swear, every doctor I've ever met has been like that. Do you have a fancy name for that complex too Emmett?"

Emmett scratches his head and shrugs, "Well, if he thrives on fixing people and their problems to the point of creating drama simply to fix it, he could have something that's called Martyr Syndrome. People with the disorder will go to such lengths as hurting people they care about the most in attempts to 'fix' or 'save' them from whatever dangers they believe that person is in."

"Damn that sounds so much like the main character out of those damn books you're reading Ali," Rosalie quips, making the dark haired woman stick her tongue out peevishly, "What? Didn't you say that the girl's vampire boyfriend dumps her and runs away to supposedly save her from his way of life?"

"Har-har Bimborella," Alice rolls her eyes, "If you'd actually put down an issue of Car and Driver and take the time to read the books, I think you'd be pleasantly surprised."

Jasper plants a kiss on his girlfriend's cheek, "I don't think Rose would appreciate reading about the twisted love story between a 100 and some year old vampire virgin and his human girlfriend who is so damn submissive, she would have made some 18th century noble's perfect trophy wife."

"If there's no sex in it, I'll pass," Rose snorts and emphasizes her distaste with a dramatic eyeroll, making everyone laugh, "I like my vampires a tad less, um, moralistic. Needless to say, I'm a big fan of Anne Rice."

"Oh, you haven't heard the best part!" Jasper yowls between chuckles, "These vampires sparkle!"

Victoria doubles over laughing, "Isn't that the series that has all of the sex toy companies coming out with dildos that are glittery and you're supposed to refrigerate them before using so you can get the authentic experience?"

"Yep!" Emmett interjects proudly, "I offered to get Rosie one but she didn't like the idea of having a dong shaped icicle being used on her."

I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose, "Okay people, I'm thoroughly confused. How did we get from Carlisle being an ass to Emmett using sparkly icicle dildos on Rose?"

"Discombobulation is the word of the day baby girl," Jasper chortles then sighs, "Kate's car is coming up the lane, maybe we should find a subject that is less likely to get me neutered."

"Like what? You and Alice's stash of flavored condoms?" James offers with an impish grin. It earns him a flat palmed swat in the chest from Victoria.

"Haha, fuck you Nomada," my brother smirks as aunt Kate's purple '65 GTO comes into view.

James winks at him, "Only if you're lucky and my girl says it's okay, since I'm not a free agent anymore."

Jasper doesn't get a chance to respond because the cars skids to a halt down below, with Kate out of the car and running to her only child at full speed before another word can be uttered. I catch a glimpse of the handsome, espresso skinned Frenchman we call uncle just as Kate crashes into her daughter.

"Tell me what's going on this instant Ali," Kate squeaks, her voice easily three octaves higher than normal.

Alice stares at the tiny woman who could pass as her twin aside from the penetrating onyx eyes and long, raven black curls cascading down the elder woman's back, "Mom, we're not saying anything until everyone is here so just take a minute and catch your breath before you have a panic attack or something."

Laurent finally catches up to his wife and doesn't even hesitate to wrap his muscular arms around his wife and the young woman he loves like his own child. "What do you need us to do _ma fille_? Which one of _des_ _enfants_ need help?" he inquires, his prevalent accent and burgundy tinted eyes taking the unsuspecting James and Victoria by surprise.

Alice squirms out of her mothers arms and launches herself into her step father. "Daddy," she whimpers, uttering a word she's only ever used for him when under extreme duress. Not that anyone would ever complain, he truly has been a father to Alice since he married her mother when Alice was six.

Laurent folds her into his arms and lovingly begins muttering french into her spiky hair while Kate hugs the rest of us, including the four newcomers to our band of misfits. "Bella, what kind of trouble followed you home this time honey?" she asks after making her way back to her husband and child.

I shake my head as Edward pulls me closer to him, "Contrary to popular belief, it's not my fault this time, aunt Kate. I promise. Jake and Lee-Lee are inside with aunt Esme if you guys want to go in. We're just waiting for Carlisle to get back with the food now."

"It's getting a little chilly, why don't we go in as well," Edward casually suggests, but his eyes are pensive as they scan the tree line.

"Trouble?" I mutter under my breath as we trail in behind the others.

He shakes his head no, "I just don't want to take any chances where your safety is concerned."

"Who has Martyr Syndrome now?" I tease as I pull my boots off and wriggle my toes.

"Nice socks," Edward points to my black and white striped socks that happen to have the individual toes, "Should I keep a look out for falling houses and a pair of ruby slippers?"

I smack his arm, "You won't find the shoes, I think Alice lost them in her closet again, but it might not be a bad idea on the house watching thing. One never knows when a random farmhouse might drop out of the sky to land on you."

"Sneaky farmhouses, conducting their fly by squishings on the unsuspecting populace," Edward muses as we enter the kitchen, "Next thing you know, Emmett will have monkeys flying out of his ass."

The unwelcome image flits through my head, "Edward, eww. I really didn't want that visual burned into my brain for the rest of my life, you fucker."

"What image?" James asks while handing over two steaming mugs, "Eddie's bare ass bouncing up and down in the moonlight or something?"

"Agh! My brain has just been violated in the worst way possible!" Emmett screams, clamping his eyes shut and covering his ears, "I'm going to be in therapy for years now, thanks to you Jay!"

"It's not my fault you have a perverse imagination Em," James retaliates, but Emmett starts singing a horrible rendition of 'I Hate Everything About You' from Three Days Grace to block his friend out.

James looks at the bulky man and starts laughing, "At least its not that Numa Numa song."

Rosalie bursts out laughing, "You should see him do that, he knows the moves the Numa guy did and everything. It's terrifying and gut busting funny at the same time. I'll ask him to do it for you sometime."

We keep the subjects of conversation light and airy until Carlisle reappears with the bags of food. We jump in and help set the massive dining room table while Esme, Kate, and Leah take over extracting the containers and setting them out for everyone.

The tension builds once again while we feast, but no one wants to be the one to broach the subject over dinner. By the time we get the dishes cleared away and the leftovers stowed in the fridge, you could cut the expectation with a knife. Their questions are stone-walled until we are once again seated in the living room, albeit packed a bit more tightly this time around.

Edward and I find ourselves on the couch this time, Jasper with Alice tucked into his lap on one side, James and Victoria, who is firmly clasping my hand once more, on the other. Emmett and Rose sit on the floor in front of us, Emmett resting against the couch, legs spayed wide with Rosalie sitting between, her back laying against his barrel chest. Kate and Leah are perched on the loveseat, Jake and Laurent standing behind them protectively while Esme stands behind Carlisle, who is sitting stiffly in his recliner.

Edward and James whisper amongst themselves for a few minutes before coming to some sort of agreement and sliding out from under Victoria and I. We wrap our arms around each other tightly as our boyfriends step into the middle of the room, all eyes tracking their every move.

Edward fists his hair for a moment, then rubs his neck absently, "Where to start? This is a hell of a lot more difficult, to be telling everyone like this, than I thought it would be."

"_Mon neveu_, start from _au début_, the beginning, and let it come out naturally," Laurent advises, his features etched with concern and love for his adopted nephews. Yes, Kate and Laurent have had limited contact with James and Victoria, but they've been adopted regardless.

**"**The beginning it is then," Edward sighs and launches into the story once more, James adding his own thoughts and experiences where it's necessary.

This retelling is peppered with interruptions in a few different languages, which would have been fucking hilarious if the tale was not so heartbreaking. Once they fall silent, Esme jumps to her feet to embrace them, murmuring "My boys, my poor boys," the whole time.

I see James' eyes grow wide at Esme's words, then watch the droplets fall from his eyes as the realization of the depth of Esme's love and concern for him sinks in. Esme no longer has just one son and there isn't a damn thing James can do about it now. It's heartwarming to see his grip on her shoulders tighten as he accepts her love and his position in her life.

Victoria and I rise from the couch together and hurl ourselves at our boyfriends. Words are useless in this instance, so we settle with clinging to them as tightly as we are able. In a Brady bunch moment, everyone in the room eventually joins in on the mass hug, giving silent comfort and their unconditional love to the two scarred souls that stand at the very center of it all.

After the love-fest breaks up, the house is abuzz with talk concerning how to protect us 'children' best and the most effective strategies to defend ourselves against the veiled threat. An agreement is quickly reached over the proposal with sleepovers becoming a regular thing so that no one is left alone.

One hiccup is Victoria being unable to quit her job, so we has out a plan for one of us to be available to go to work with her. Another is James and Edward's therapy sessions. Tori and I volunteer to take the bulk of those and the parentals offer to cater to our band on a permanent basis from here on out.

School is more and less difficult for a few reasons. It's easier because we already walk one another to class and shit, but harder because we have no idea what grades the Volturi twins are in or what their schedules will be just yet and we have no way of hacking the school computers right now without it leading back to us.

By the time we break up to head home for the night, it's after 11 o'clock. Edward is nervous about letting me out of his sight so Jake invites him and Alice to stay at our house for the night. Rose is going to stay with Victoria and James will be hanging out with Emmett so there's no worry there, not tonight. Carlisle begins to protest Edward staying until Leah and Jake assure him that his son will be bunking with Jazz. Yeah right.

That will fall by the way side as soon as we walk in the door because all four of us will probably end up crashing in either Jasper's room or the attic, just like old times. Obviously I don't bring this up and neither does Edward or my brother.

On the account all of us kids have adopted the stance of no goodbyes, we walk out to our vehicles together while the adults say their good nights. Edward is going to ride home with me because he doesn't want us to separate. He has therapy tomorrow and we had agreed to take my Supra because his appointment is right after school and it would take too long to come back and get his Camaro. Jasper is going with Alice so she can get clothes for tonight and tomorrow.

Edward climbs into the driver's seat of my baby without a second thought and grins at me when I glare at him through the windshield. "What?" he asks, still smirking, "You didn't mind earlier."

I give up and drop into the passenger seat, "That was earlier dammit. I was scared, confused, and pissed off at the time. Now you're just taking advantage."

He pulls the car in line behind aunt Kate and uncle Laurent, "No my love, I'm not. You'll experience that when we get to your house and I get your spare set of keys."

I gawk at him, perplexed, "Does that mean I get the spares for your Camaro?"

He shrugs and winks at me, his green orbs glittering in the moonlight, "Only if you're a good girl."

"Fuck you Cullen," I growl, crossing my arms petulantly and glare out the window.

Undeterred by my childish act, he pats my thigh, "Maybe that too."

"You're not nearly as charming as you think you are Mister Cullen," I snap in annoyance.

"Yes I am so don't even try to pull that shit on me," he states matter-of-factly as he pushes the car to go even faster.

I roll my eyes and light a cigarette for each of us,"You can be one infuriating son of a bitch when you want to be, you know that?"

He takes the cigarette and swiftly plants a kiss on my new ring before I can withdraw it, "I thought that was one of the things you loved about me Isabella?"

"It is," I confess while turning in my seat and stretching my legs out onto his lap, "Especially when it's directed at someone other than me."

"Yes well, a little bird told me once that we are liked for our merits and loved for our flaws so you have to take the good with the bad angel," my kismet arrogantly retorts.

I have to give him credit though because although cocky Edward has resurfaced, he still stops at the gas station, disappears inside for a few minutes, and emerges with two large styrofoam mugs.

He hands me one through the window, "Pumpkin spice for my love," he announces before sauntering around the front of the car and getting back in the driver's seat.

"Thank you," I mumble, feeling like an ass for being so snarky with him, "Sorry for being such a bitch."

"Never a problem sweetheart," Edward admits as we pull back onto the road, "We're both stressed out and cranky, I don't blame you for being snippy. I'm sorry too, I shouldn't talk out of my ass like that."

I reach over and take his hand, "No biggie babe. I just want to go home, get a shower, and put my jammies on before we tell Ali and Jazz about trip to Seattle."

He kisses my hand once, then drops it to shift gears, "Speaking of, how are we going to cover now? I have a sneaking suspicion that their camping trip is going to get canceled with the psycho twins running around."

I bite my bottom lip as I mull our options. "Well," I finally say after several minutes of silence," We'll have Alice with us so we can make it look like another shopping trip."

"What about the Halloween dance? She'll be pissed if we miss it," he inquires as he turns onto the reservation's main road.

"I guess the best thing we could do is talk our parents into letting us skip on Friday, citing Alice's need to get some last minute things for the dance, being one of its organizers and all, and do it then instead," I surmise, sneaking a glance at him as I finish.

"I thought you really wanted to do it on Halloween," Edward wonders aloud.

I shrug a shoulder, "Honestly the date isn't as important as the deed itself. I just want to tie myself to you in every way possible before anything else happens."

We come to a stop in front of my house. After killing the engine, Edward turns to me and takes both of my hands in his, "Isabella, I will make you my wife very soon. I've been thinking about it all night and I've come up with something I want to run by you. No one would blame us if we didn't want to go to school tomorrow. What if we got everyone together and left early in the morning? We could buy the rings and your dress when we get there and this way, all of our friends can be there with us."

My heart starts racing as the idea takes root in my brain. I could be Mrs. Edward Cullen by this time tomorrow.

Married tomorrow.

To Edward.

Bound to my kismet for eternity.

No one would be able to take him from me ever again.

I take a deep breath and finally look up into his emerald pools to see nothing but love and devotion emanating from them.

"Let's do it."

**OBKB HOPEFULLY THIS CHAPTER HAS ANSWERED SOME LONG STANDING QUESTIONS FOR SOME OF YOU....SORRY IF IT DIDN'T**

**Link to Bella's ring on my profile!!!**

**also added link to Bella's necklace!!!**

**YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU, THE LENGTH OF MY CHAPTERS SHOULD ATTEST TO THAT. SHOW ME SOME LOVE BACK, HIT THE LITTLE BUTTON AND LEAVE ME A REVIEW.**

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**REVIEW OR DIE!**


	14. Chapter 13 Rings and Things

**Blah, blah, blah, I don't own any copyrighted material that I use to spice up my story blah, blah, blah**

**IMPORTANT A/N: I've got a lot of shit going on right now that includes, but not limited to beginning a colab story with dementedevilpixie. I feel real strong about working on a story with her so I'm going to take a tiny step back from Kismet to work on it.**

**Before anyone panics, my tiny step back consists of choosing to update Kismet once a week instead of twice. Please don't hurt me!**

**I'm not sure when the colab will go up because the evil pixie is currently moving across like three fucking states and will need to get settled before she's ready to hit the ground running, er, writing, so please be patient! This is my for colab and neithe rof us are used to having a co-author to fight with lol. **

**Besides, you know I love you guys too much to fuck you over.**

**If you'd like to see what dementedevilpixie is like, look her up in my favorite authors. I'd appreciate it and so would she if you read her stuff.**

**I HEART MY READERS!!!!!!!**

**Okay, this announcement has concluded and now the author will resume running from her pet zombies so you can read in relative peace.**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 13**

**Rings and Things**

**~Bella~**

"Fuck it, it's five till three, if they haven't worked it out of their system by now, they'll be fucking all night," I grumble and wriggle out of my kismet's arms to sit up on my bed.

Edward scratches his head and pushes himself up beside me, "Are you sure that you want to take a chance on walking in on that?"

I jam my feet into my vampire duck slippers and snicker as Edward puts on his Frankenstein ones, "I'll just make sure you walk in first so you're the one scarred for life instead of me for once."

He slides his hoodie and glasses on before glancing at the green monsters poking out from under his black jersey pajama pants, "Nice angel. Very mature. Were they out of Spongebob?"

I stretch up on my tip toes and kiss his nose, "What? This way we can be monsters together."

"Funny Bella," Edward answers with a snort, "Now get your ass moving before I strip you down and go back to what we were doing earlier."

I scowl at him as we slink into the hallway, "That damn massage almost put me to sleep, damn you! You know how fucked up I would have been after that. You would have had to tell my brother and Ali all by your fucking lonesome."

He shudders involuntarily and grabs my hand, "Fuck that shit. Let's go." He proceeds to drag me down the hall until we reach the door at the very end.

We simultaneously reach up and gently rap on the door. "Knock, knock bitches, we're coming in," I whisper as the door swings open.

Edward saves himself a shove by being brave and stepping through first. The fact that his eyes are tightly shut is not lost on me either.

I shuffle in behind my boy-_fiance_, only to catch Alice throwing on one of my brother's tee shirts.

"You're early!" she hisses as she hands Jasper a pair of gray sweats.

"My clock said three when we left the room," I reply innocently as I pull Edward down onto the overstuffed black suede recliner and climb into his lap.

Jasper's blonde locks pop out from under his black duvet, followed by his semi-dressed form. "What's so goddamn important that you had to wait until three in the fucking morning to tell us?" he demands while stealing the smoke I'd just lit.

Edward subtly grasps my left hand in his right one and begins stroking the ring, "I asked Bella to marry me tonight and she said yes."

Alice squeals, "That's great!" while her boyfriend growls, "About fucking time."

My kismet lifts his free hand, "I'm not finished. As I was saying, I asked her to marry me, she said yes, and we're driving to Seattle tomorrow to do it."

Jasper chokes at the discovery, forcing Alice to pound his back with her tiny fist until he waves her off. "How do you expect to pull that off? Both of you are underage."

"Edward was proactive in that area," I admit honestly, "He got us all fake ID's so we could go clubbing or something, but they're such good quality that they'll withstand federal scrutiny."

"Bella and I want you and Alice to come with us," Edward smoothly adds, "We would be honored if you stood as witnesses when we take our vows."

Alice is literally vibrating with excitement, "Oh my gods! Do you have your dress? What about the rings? I know he's had his grandmother's engagement ring for ages, waiting to spring it on you, so I know you at least have that."

"We planned on leaving early so we could buy our rings and a dress Ali," I explain, "Its not like people just have extra wedding dresses and rings laying around."

"Well, that depends on what you consider a wedding dress," Alice ponders aloud. I can see the gears turning in her devious little mind from across the room. "What color dress were you hoping to get?"

"Bella wants a black one," Edward tells her, "She isn't interested in blinding herself with snowy taffeta."

"But what would you like Edward?" the tiny woman asks, shocking the hell out of him.

He gives me a tender kiss before turning his emerald orbs on her, "I want to marry my kismet as soon as fucking possible. I'd wear pajamas to do so, if that is what my Bella wanted. But if you're asking for personal preference, I'd like something simple and elegant. And black. I don't fancy white dresses either, it doesn't suit my complexion."

She smirks at us and hops to her feet, "I have the perfect thing sitting at home as we speak. Something told me to buy it a few weeks ago even though it wasn't my style at all. I'm glad I listened to my instincts. Don't worry Bella, you'll love it."

"So all you need now are the wedding bands, right?" Jasper's voice is thoughtful, his gray eyes unreadable.

"Aside from the marriage certificate, I have a suit that Bella approves of already," Edward corrects, now bobbing his head to 'Teenagers' from My Chemical Romance.

Alice raises an eyebrow, "What does the suit look like Edward? So I can make sure Bella's dress doesn't clash with it."

I do a little happy dance in Edward's lap, "It's a fucking black pinstriped zoot suit Ali!"

"So a little less Romeo and Juliet, a little more Bonnie and Clyde," Jasper chuckles, "Fucking figures. You two can't do anything normally, can you?"

"Fuck no!" Edward and I shout in horrible Scottish accents before succumbing to a fit of laughter.

My brother gets up and stalks into his closet with a look of determination plastered on his face. Just as I move to go check on him, he comes back out, holding something in his hands. I give him a confused look as he kneels in from of me, taking my hand in his own.

"I think I can help with the wedding bands," he explains and drops two silver rings in my hand. "These were mom and dad's I think they would want you to have them since you're getting married first."

I peer at the silver bands in my hand. Each one has a row of diamonds running along the center of them. "How did you get them Jasper?"

The smile on his face is sad, "Lee-Lee brought them to me when I was in the hospital after the accident. You were having less trouble than me and she thought that if I had something of mom and dad's, it would help me heal faster, at least mentally."

"It's not like pins and screws holding us together were very fun as a kid. We both had trouble after the crash BB," I sigh and Jasper pulls me to him in a comforting hug. I let myself sink into his arms and let the tears run their course, both men rubbing my back and Alice stroking my still damn hair.

I'm awoken to the sounds of people talking animatedly. Then I notice I'm alone in the bed. Shit! I fell asleep in Jasper's bed! I bolt upright and look around to find four extra people in the room and they've all stopped to look at me.

"Congratulations Bella! Now I won't be the only teenage bride!" Rosalie laughs as she saunters across the room and hugs me.

"Wait, what?" I stammer, unsure of how anyone would know of our plans. Then it hits me. "Alice! I'm going to kill you!"

The tiny woman looks absolutely petrified. "I'm sorry Bella! I really am! Edward asked me and Jazz to go get his suit and the Camaro and James caught me and threatened to burn my fabric, wardrobe, and tell the whole school about my design company if I didn't tell him what was going on!"

James, who is casually leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, chuckles at her outburst, "I honestly thought she was going to tell me that her and Jasper were running off to elope and you and Edward were helping them. Imagine my surprise when she fucking faints just as Jazz comes out of Eddie's room and sees me holding onto his girl. I thought he was going to kill me!"

"I would've too, if Alice hadn't come around as quickly as she did and started talking at warp speed," Jasper confirms as he emerges from his closet, garment bag in hand.

"But-" I look at Rosalie and Emmett, "But how did you two find out?"

Edward sits down on the bed at my side and gathers my hand, "That was all me. I figured they might as well come too now that Jay and Tori have insisted on going. It's better this way too, our closest friends can at least be there, even if our parents can't."

"How are we going to cover for everyone?" I have to ask, "Especially with the Volturi twins running around?"

"Me and Jazz sent out a mass text," Alice explains, "We're inciting a junior/senior skip day and so far its' working! It's even spread to the rez and some other schools in other districts. We'll blend in no problem."

"And before you ask, Jake and Leah know and semi-approve," Jasper chuckles, "We told them about the skip day and said we were all running away to Seattle to get married. Edward gave them the keys to your Supra and told them to have fun with it. After he did that, they told us to have fun getting married and took the Supra out to get breakfast."

"It was better to stick close to the truth," Edward elaborates, "I was always taught that if you're going to lie, lie about something specific and keep it as close to the truth as possible, that way you're less likely to get caught."

"They're hoping to draw the attention of Jane and Alec, aren't they?" I challenge, "Driving around in my baby so that no one knows that we're going to spend the weekend in Seattle?"

Edward and Jasper bob their heads yes. "All the parents know that we're going to Seattle for the weekend to hide out, giving them time to work on a course of action. They're doing the whole overprotective route, which works to our advantage right now," Edward admits then kisses my forehead.

Suddenly Alice and Rosalie are grabbing me and pulling me towards the door, "Time to get the bride ready! Edward, you'd better kiss her now because you aren't going to see her again until it's time!"

That makes me dig in my heels and wrench myself out of their grasp. "What?! No fucking way Alice! As it is, I'm not going to be able to tell anyone about this so there is no way in hell that I'm going to spend all fucking morning away from him just before we go through the most important thing in our fucking lives!"

"Oh, a few hours don't even compare when you're talking about being married forever," Alice scoffs, but I shake my head and refuse to be moved, "Come on Bella, don't be difficult."

"No. Fucking. Way. Not happening Alice, no matter how much I love you," I snarl, dodging her hand as she moves to grab me again. "This is going down the way Edward and I want it or not at all Shorty, and that's final."

She tries to stare me down for a few minutes before huffing and throwing up her hands, "Fine! It's not like this is a normal wedding anyways! But mark my words, soon-to-be-Mrs. Cullen, in a few years, when you guys have another wedding for everyone to attend, you will do things my way."

"Not going to happen Ali-kat," I chuckle and Edward a quick kiss. "Save me," I mumble against his lips.

"Not a chance, my beautiful bride," he whispers back, "Let them have their fun for now because no one and nothing is going to stop me from locking you in a hotel room with me for the entire weekend."

He kisses me tenderly once more and releases me into the arms of my three impromptu bridesmaids.

As we pile into my room, Alice nudges me, "Just so you know, this is inspiring your brother. He brought it up to me on our way to get Edward's car and stuff. He asked me if I'd consider getting married like this."

"What did you say?" Victoria asks as she begins brushing out my hair.

"I said I would if he asked," the pixie confesses, eyes focused on the large bag of cosmetics she's rummaging through.

"Guess me and James weren't the only ones thinking about it," Victoria surmises, a smug grin on her pale features.

I light a cigarette and chuckle, "What the hell, why don't we make Jasper's little joke to our aunt and uncle a reality? Girls, go tell the boys we're all getting married today."

I didn't expect my jest to be taken seriously, but the next thing I know, I'm stuck in a room with three screaming women, and two more brides to get ready.

Victoria, Rosalie, and I end up in a curly up-do of some kind so Alice doesn't feel awkward about the short hair she's only recently decided to let grow out. Of course we're dressed nicely, but it's camouflage for anyone who would wonder why we had our make-up and hair down otherwise.

In a cloud of sisterly insanity, Alice tells us that we're all wearing the same kind of dress, since she always had more than one, and that she's already spoken to a store in Seattle that have almost the exact rings that my parents had and we're all going to have matching bands, including Rose and Emmett, who had never exchanged rings. Alice convinced her and Emmett to take the plunge again with the rest of us. Only Alice could win with the argument of being able to share their wedding anniversary with their closest friends.

So, after a whirlwind round of primping, we meet the boys outside. They had went to retrieve the dresses and suits that we would all be needing now.

My bronze-haired god is leaning against his black SS, arms and ankles crossed, sunglasses on and a definitively smug expression plastered to his face. When he sees us file out the front door, he drops his arms and swaggers over with the rest of the guys.

"You are my dream come true love," he murmurs as he takes my hand and twirls me around once, "I'm marrying a goddess."

I feel myself blush, "So, you like?"

He grabs my hips and pulls me to him, "You *_kiss* _are *_kiss*_ mouthwatering *_kiss*. _And I love you so fucking much."

"I love you too," I throw my arms around his neck and attack his lips passionately, my hands fisting into his hair.

After a few minutes, he pulls away and rests his forehead against mine, "You truly are the most dangerous creature I have ever laid eyes on. If you even had half an idea of what you do to me...." he kisses me long and slow until everyone starts yelling at us that it's time to go.

Reluctantly we separate and we holds the door open for me to get in his car. I watch the chagrin melt from his face and excitement take over as he jogs around the front and slides into the driver's seat. "Ready?" he asks, an eyebrow raised.

"Absofuckinglutely," I retort, feeling my own glee burst forth as he nods and pulls out onto the lane.

**~Edward~**

My wife. Isabella Cullen forever more.

Those words keep dancing around my head as I stand before the judge, reciting the short, simple vows Bella and I had agreed upon during the three and a half hour drive. The trek to Seattle is usually longer, but with four lead foots in a hurry to get hitched at the wheel of our vehicles, the miles flew by.

We were lucky that the jeweler had the rings in suitable sizes, as it gave us the extra time needed to obtain our marriage license. My girl was pleasantly surprised that her fake ID claimed that her birthday was the same as Jasper's and I couldn't help but laugh when they cheered that they could be twins now.

I admit that I was slightly dismayed that Bella and I would be sharing our special day with the others, but it was also a relief to be the only calm one of the four men. I was so surprised that Emmett was nervous since he'd already done this before and his only excuse was that he's never gotten used to the fact that she loves him. I understood Emmett's anxiety after that.

Bella's eyes, alight with emotion, capture my attention again. "I love you Mr. Cullen, forever," she mouths while the judge finishes his little speech.

"I love you Mrs. Cullen, forever, my kismet," I whisper back just as I'm told that I can kiss my bride. Like anyone could have stopped me. I impulsively kiss her wedding ring before clasping the sides of her face and kissing her way too inappropriately.

"Time for pictures!" Alice announces loudly, bursting our bubble, "The photographer just called, she's waiting for us at the restaurant!"

"How the hell did you get a photographer on such short notice Ali?" Bella asks as our lips lose contact. I want nothing more than to take my wife back to our hotel room and make love to her, but fate once again has other plans.

Alice waves her newly adorned left hand, "It was no problem. A friend of a friend. She's a photography major at the university and needs pictures to pad her portfolio when she graduates. She's really good too and knows how to keep her mouth shut. She's a don't ask, don't tell kind of person. She did the pictures I had done for Jasp-- she did my glamor shots for the company."

"You are so full of shit little sister, your eyes should be as brown as Bellie's," Emmett snorts as we exit the building.

"Do we have to do this?" Bella whispers in my ear as we walk to our cars.

"If we want Alice to shut up and go get laid by her husband sooner, then yes," I tell her honestly, "Why do you think I haven't dragged you back to our room yet, my darling wife?"

The blush that floods her cheeks is almost too much. "Say it again," she pleads, snuggling into my side.

"What?" I play innocent and smirk at her while pushing her up against the side of my Camaro, "About dragging you back to our room?"

She smacks my arms and shakes her head, "No, the other part. I liked hearing you say it."

"I love you, my darling, irresistible, decadent wife," I proclaim and kiss her softly.

"I love you, my handsome, devious, and sinful husband," Bella mumbles against my lips.

"Don't mess up your clothes before we get our pictures taken, I don't have any spares!" Alice warns as she and Jasper slip passed us to get into Jake's black Ram that was borrowed as part of the deception.

Since we were the last couple to marry, the others had waited patiently all afternoon, ticking off each couple as their vows were concluded and rings exchanged. The brides, echoing Bella's choice of dress, wore matching simple, strapless black gowns that had a small band of black and silver beading tucked under the bust, all of them chose to forgo veils. Alice got a bit more creative with the guys.

She knew that my zoot suit was originally my Halloween costume, but Bella and I had loved the idea of getting married to a mobster, so I relented and Alice got to hand out the other zoot suits to Em, Jay, and Jazz. She had also found fedora's for each of us and insisted we wear them until it was time to speak our vows. Everyone complied but Emmett, who left his on at Rosalie's request. The fucked up things we do for our ladies. We are so whipped.

We eventually make our way to the restaurant in which Alice rented the banquet hall so we could get our photos taken in peace before we ate. With four wedding parties to photograph, Becky GoForth, our photographer, handles herself well. She seamlessly moves through each couple before taking the group shots, then lets us grooms go eat as she works on the brides.

I'm lucky enough that Bella goes first, and have a plate waiting when she pads over, barefoot, her shoes tossed who the hell knows where.

I open my arms to her and she sinks into my lap with a sigh, "Who would've thought a shotgun wedding would be so hard?"

I feed her a forkful of chicken Alfredo and have to pry my eyes from her inviting lips, "Well my love, it was actually four shotgun weddings, which is complicated enough, but then someone let think Alice was in charge of planning and she went overboard with it, like she does everything."

"She wouldn't be our Alice if she did it differently," Bella agrees with a shrug and steals my bite of chicken before I can get it to my mouth.

"Wench, that was my bite!" I mock-growl at her, causing her chuckle evilly.

"Yes, and it was a very yummy bite," she teases and my eyes are glued to her lips as she licks some of the white sauce from her red stained lips. And then she does the one thing that she knows will break me.

She.

Fucking.

Moans.

"Oh Edward," she murmurs in a throaty timbre that makes me forget that we're currently in a room with seven other people, "It tastes sssooo good. I want more."

"We're leaving. Now," I growl in her ear when my mouth remembers how to form words. Without waiting for her response, I lift her off of my lap, which does nothing to alleviate the unbearable tightness of my slacks, and set her on her feet. "Get your things before I decide that you don't need them right now."

Bella's cheeks flush, but she nods and quickly gathers her belongings while I distract myself from throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her back to our hotel room by getting our jackets from the coat room.

In under a minute, I have my arm wound around her waist and we're walking the short distance to the hotel. Walking is too slow, I decide after about ten steps. I pull Bella around so that she's facing me. "I'm carrying you, it's faster," I inform her and reach down to pick up my wife.

"Edward, stop that," Bella chides, stepping away from my arms, "I can walk on my own perfectly fine. I'm not twelves anymore."

I can't help but smirk at the memories, "You mean when you couldn't walk across a flat, stable surface without falling down?"

She tries to scowl, but the edges of her lips turn upwards, "Yes Edward. I have gotten a lot better at the whole walking thing you know."

Just then she trips and I reach out and catch her, allowing myself to snicker openly despite the consequences. "You were saying?"

This time I get a true scowl as she points at the sidewalk, "Look at the big fucking crack Edward! My heel slipped into it!"

I kneel down and swing her onto my back before she can voice a protest, "Sure, sure, my love, blame it on the inanimate object. I'd rather not take any chances with my wife today so I'm carrying you back, no arguing."

"Fine, but only because my feet already hurt from those damn shoes," she grudgingly acquiesces, wrapping her arms and legs more securely around me.

I don't bother walking down the half empty sidewalk. After I have her safely on my back, I begin sprinting down the pavement towards the hotel. I know that we probably look like lunatics, but I don't give a rat's ass because my Bella is laughing and urging me to run faster. What my girl, _my wife _wants, _my wife_ gets.

It doesn't take long to reach the building we'll be staying in for the weekend. My brain barely registers the odd looks we get as I jog through the lobby with my beautiful, giggling bride clinging to my back.

When we reach the elevators, I slide her off of me only to pick her up, bridal style, and kiss her soundly until we reach the top floor that holds, ironically, four palatial suites. Ours is the last one at the end. "Key card, left pocket," I mumble against her intoxicating, addictive lips, as we move down the hallway.

I have no idea how she manages to retrieve the damn key card or how I keep us from bumping into anything, but soon enough, I break our kiss and wait for my bride to look at me before carrying her over the threshold.

"I love you, my wife."

**~Bella~**

There is no feeling in the world better than being carried into our room by my handsome, perfect, breathtaking husband.

"I love you, my wife." That is until I hear the pure, raw emotion in his voice.

"I love you, my husband," I breathe, not trusting my voice at a higher volume, "Now get me out of this dress and make love to your wife."

Edward's eyes turn the darkest, deepest green I've ever seen. "Gladly," he smirks and continues the short journey to our room.

He gently sets me on my feet and begins kissing every bit of bare flesh he can reach, making the room feel way too hot almost instantly. I try to reach behind me to unzip the damned dress, but his captures my hands and pulls them away.

"Patience, my beautiful wife, I want to savor this," he commands from his position at my wrist, his velvet voice dropping to a lower octave that makes me want to jump on him.

Instead, I settle for running my hands through his silken hair as his lips set my body on fire. I can hear him mumbling something, but can't make out the words. "What are you saying?" I inquire, my voice surprising me at it's huskiness.

Edward slowly trails his lips up my arm, to my neck. "You're mine, finally mine," he whisper-growls just before he skims his tongue along my earlobe, "My kismet. All mine. Forever."

"All yours," I gasp and melt into him, "My kismet. Forever."

Suddenly I feel the constraints of the gown release and it falls into a forgotten puddle as my husband picks me up and lays me on the bed, his lips never leaving my body.

Time ceases to exist for me while Edward's lips and hands explore me. I'm so completely lost in his touch, I actually gasp when he suddenly leans back.

My eyes fly open as I get a feeling of deja vu, "What Edward? Did I do something wrong?" I fight the urge to cover myself, but fail as my arms start to wrap themselves around my torso.

He grabs my hands and stalls their action, "Isabella, how many time do I have to remind you not to cover yourself? You are perfection incarnate and I could happily spend every day of my life just looking at you. I'm just taken aback by the fact that I've married a goddess and she's letting me make love to her. Nothing is wrong, I promise."

He leans down and begins kissing my stomach, which makes a thought pop in my head. "Edward, would you still love me if I got fat and had stretch marks and shit? Would you still think I'm beautiful?"

I feel his nose glide along my hip bone just before I feel his teeth clamp down and he begins sucking somewhat aggressively. I moan at the sensation and my hands automatically entangle themselves in his auburn locks.

When he finally pulls away, I hear him hum happily at the mark that's no doubt prominent against my pale skin, but it also reminds me of my questions. "Aren't you going to answer me?"

His right hand snakes up my legs and brushes along my super-heated core, "Isabella Marie Cullen, I would love you if you weighed five hundred pounds and all of your hair fell out. You would still be perfect to me. Always. As for the stretch marks," his hand makes its way to my abdomen, "I sure as hell hope you get a few stretch marks when you carry our children just so I can kiss them and lick them and be reminded of what we were able to create together."

His lips are on my flesh once again, blazing a trail down my body again. I gasp loudly when his tongue slips between my folds and curls around my now hyper sensitive nub. I can't even try to fight as he wraps his arms around my hips and pulls me down the bed to him.

Then he is kissing me, open mouthed, tongue and all, just like he would if he were kissing the mouth on my face. My back arches off the bed when his teeth graze that little cluster of nerves again and my legs begin to shake uncontrollably as he inserts one long finger and starts sliding it in and out of me. I grab the duvet and it twists in my hands as I writhe shamelessly under his talented ministrations, his name tumbling from my lips in a seemingly endless stream.

The rhythm of his hand is interrupted only when he slows to add a second digit. He then begins curling them inside of me, stroking all the right spots to send me literally screaming over the edge.

"That's it angel," he murmurs approvingly, then moves so that his body hovers over mine as his tempo increases, "Again Isabella, I want to see your face. I want to see what only I am able to do to you."

Edward dips his head down and captures one of my aching peaks in his mouth, his tongue flicking the ring and my second tumble off the cliff is more powerful than the first, with me screaming his name as I fall over.

"Goddammit Isabella, you are so fucking beautiful when you cum," Edward growls, losing himself and his tender words in the moment, "The way you blush from your beautiful breasts all the way to your hairline. So fucking gorgeous."

I grip his hair and pull him up until I reach his lips. "You are wearing too many fucking clothes, _husband,_ get rid of that fucking suit and take me dammit," I command and kiss him hard as I peel back his jacket.

He shrugs it off and I reach for his button up, grab the two sides, and wrench it open which causes the buttons to fly everywhere, but I'm too far gone to care. As he wrestles his arms free, I unbutton his slacks and push them down with his boxers, taking over with my feet when my arms no longer suffice.

He begins kissing my neck again and I can't help but be evil. "Hurry up before I find someone else to please me," I tease, running my fingers up his muscular arms.

I'm not prepared for his reaction.

Edward's head snaps up, his emerald orbs burning into my brown ones. "Mine," he snarls viciously, making me shiver, and slides into my core in one rough thrust of his hips.

He mercilessly plunges into me again and again, growling the entire time. "Say it Isabella," he demands, his eyes still fixed to mine.

In that moment, I discover that I like this side of my new husband and choose to provoke him further. "What do you mean?"

He leans back and hooks my legs with his arms, increasing his speed and power as he does so. "You're mine. Say it. Say it now." His growl is menacing, but it flips a switch in my brain and I tumble for the third time.

I'm overwhelmed by the sensations reverberating through my body as he ravishes me. I can't form a coherent word, let alone remember what I was supposed to say. This infuriates Edward and he drops down so that our torsos touch.

"Tell me who you belong to, Isabella, or I'm going to stop," he threatens, then sinks his teeth into the soft flesh of my neck. I dig my nails into his shoulders as his assault on my body becomes more delightfully brutal.

"Only yours! Edward!" I cry out as my release crashes into me. His body collides with mine once, twice, three times, before his hips freeze and I hear him moan my name into my neck as his seed spills into me.

We lay quiet for a few minutes, the only sounds in the room is that of our breathing as it returns to normal. Soon after we have calmed, Edward, in his typical fashion, rolls us so that I'm sprawled across his chest comfortably, but not breaking our intimate connection. In a well practiced move, we cover ourselves with the gold and ivory brocade comforter and snuggle together, enjoying the bliss that has descended upon us.

The sound of his heart beating just under my ear lulls me into a half doze while our hands idly play with the others rings. I can feel myself slipping into sleep and manage to mumble an 'I love you' before it overtakes me completely.

_Ring!! Ring!! Ring!!_

The phone must die. "Ignore it," I grumble to Edward, but he is already shifting under me to reach the phone on the night stand. I busy myself with snuggling into his chest once more.

"Bella love, *_kiss_* I need you *_kiss_* to wake up for me *_kiss_*," Edward's velvet voice breaks through the darkness.

The first thing I notice is that I'm no longer on his chest. The second thing I notice is he sounds very amused and frustrated. The third thing that occurs to me is that I'm still naked. What does one expect after five rounds of mind blowing sex though?

I lift my head, scratching it as I open my eyes to peer at my husband. "What?" I rasp out, slightly confused by the fact that he's grinning like an idiot.

"Evidently we're all going to get a tattoo to commemorate our wedding," he explains, rubbing slow circles along my spine, "I guess the others decided on it last night after we, um, left. And you should know, Emmett's design won."

I sit up, alarmed. "What the hell did brother bear think up this time?"

Edward lights two cigarettes and hands me one, "It's actually pretty tame in comparison to what I thought. It's a simple design. It's the number eight, which can also double for the symbol for infinity. Emmett's reasoning's for that particular symbol were also sound, oddly enough. There are eight of us and we pledged forever to our mates together. He really wants us all to get inked together before we go back to the real world, as he put it."

I shift the sheet more comfortably under my arms, and grin internally at the sight of multiple love bites gracing my skin. "Wow, that is scary. Emmett made sense. Did we get invaded by pod people or something?"

Suddenly my favorite smile is beaming at me, "You know, I asked him almost the exact same question. He didn't even get offended, he simply explained that he really wanted to share this one last thing with everyone in our little clique, something we could share forever."

"Was he drunk?" I ask, incredulous.

Oh shit, he's dressed already! I glimpse at his attire and smile. My Edward is back. Camouflage cargo pants, tight fitting black thermal under a tee shirt that says 'Bruce Campbell for President' across the chest. All he needs now is his hoodie and his glasses and I will officially be in a time warp.

"If only," Edward guffaws, "He warned me that he was stone sober before launching into his plan," he looks at his cell phone, "And we only have twenty minutes to shower, get ready, and meet everyone downstairs so we can get breakfast before we go to the tattoo parlor. Okay, you have twenty minutes. I would have woken you up sooner, but you looked like you could use the extra sleep, so I got a shower and shit before bothering you."

I run my hands through my hair and stifle a yawn, "Alright, give me a few minutes to be coherent enough to go get a shower. Coffee would help the process along, you know."

He knowingly smirks and reaches to the table behind him. When his arm comes back around, he's holding a styrofoam cup that smells like pumpkin spice, "I would never forget that giving my wife her morning dose of caffeine makes me less likely to have my head torn from my shoulders. I'm quite partial to where it is, thank you."

I glare at him for a few seconds before eagerly snatching the mug from his hand and taking a sip. I decide to stare at him for a few more seconds, then let myself grin maniacally at him, "Okay, you get to keep your head for now."

He wipes his forehead dramatically, "Phew! I was a little worried there for a minute. I'd hate to start this marriage out by being decapitated."

I push him away from me and slide off the huge bed, letting the sheet fall away to reveal my still nude form,"Keep it up and I could change my mind."

Edward is standing by me in a flash. "Nevermind, we're not going to get tattoos. I'm not letting you out of this room," he mutters against my neck as he starts kissing it.

"Sorry lover, but you already agreed that we'd go," I inform him, side-stepping out of his grasp and sauntering to the bathroom while he gapes like a fish, "I'll be ready in a few, could you mind cleaning up your drool while I shower?"

He starts to follow me, but I shut the door just as he reaches it. "Bella," he whines from the other side, "Let me in."

I cover my mouth to hide my chortle of evil glee. "Can't do that honey, I have to get ready and all you will do is distract me. I've only got like ten minutes to get ready as it is."

"But I miss you," his tone is so pathetic and I hear his head fall against the door as I turn on the shower and step in.

"You'll be fine for five minutes sweetheart, trust me," I counter while lathering my hair up.

"But I don't want to be fine without you," he argues, "Let me in pllleeaasseee."

"I'm washing my hair Edward," I chuckle and starting rinsing, "Do you want me to kill myself trying to get the door open while blind?"

"You're going to make me beg, aren't you?" he sounds so dejected, I can visualize the pout he has going on about now.

"Okay, now you sound like drunk Emmett, you're definitely not coming in now," I accuse him while starting to scrub the grime form my skin.

"_Ah,_ _Now I don't hardly know her, but I think I could love her, Crimson and Clover,_" Edward sings loudly. I can't help but feel a pang of guilt now. It was the first song he ever sang to me while playing his guitar.

I rinse myself off and step out of the shower. "_Ah when she comes walking over, Now I've been waitin' to show her, Crimson and clover over and over," _I sing back as I shut the water off and wrap myself in a towel.

"_Yeah, my, my such a sweet thing, I wanna do everything, What a beautiful feeling, Crimson and clover over and over,"_ he sings back to me as I near the door.

"_Crimson and clover over and over, Crimson and clover over and over,Crimson and clover over and over, Crimson and clover over and over,_" we both sing as I throw open the door and dive into his arms.

His face lights up as he catches me effortlessly. "I love you so much," he proudly announces and swoops in for a heated kiss before I can answer.

When we finally part, panting for air, Edward hugs me tightly to him. "You know I love you too," I whisper breathlessly against his chest.

"Yes, I know," he plants a kiss on the top of my head, "And I'm grateful for it every fucking day of my life."

He holds me for a few more minutes, until our phones start buzzing. "I guess it's time for you to get dressed," he pouts as he lets me go.

I kiss the tip of his nose, "You're so damn cute when you pout. Wear your glasses for me today?"

He rolls his eyes but nods, "Your wish, my command, my dearest Bella."

I skip, yes skip, over to our luggage and pull out clothes. I end up in my favorite black cargo pants and a long sleeve tee that says 'F.B.I. Female Body Inspector' on it. It was a gift from Jasper last Christmas.

Edward comes out of the bathroom as I'm pulling my hair back into an alligator clip, his glasses and hoodie on. "What the hell does your shirt say?"

I look down at it then back to my husband. "It's says F.B.I. Edward," I explain with a shrug.

He pads over and gets a better look at it. His eyes shift from my face to my shirt a few times before he bursts into laughter, "That is so wrong! I should have known that you'd have something like that!"

I put my hands on my hips and glare at him, "What's wrong with my shirt?"

He lays his hands over mine, "Not a damn thing Bella. I'm glad you are confident enough to tell the world about your preferences. But I have one question. How are you going to explain being married to me?"

I smack him on the arm, "That's easy. If it weren't for you, I'd have completely crossed over to the dark side by now. I love you more than anything, even if you do have a dick."

"Oh, well if that's all," he sarcastically answers and gives me a chaste kiss.

"Wait till you see Emmett when he notices it," I giggle and pull on my hoodie, "He's obsessed with me being a lesbian. He's hoping me and Rose will grace him with a show one day."

"Over my dead body," Edward growls as we grab our wallets and such, "Unless I get to watch too. It's well within the rights of the husband of a lesbian, I think."

"I'd like to think so," I step through the door and into the hall, "but don't tell him that or I'll never hear the end of it."

"He will never find out from me," Edward vows solemnly just before we're tackled by the aforementioned goofball.

"Bellaboo! Eddie! How's married life so far? Ready to go get scarred for life?" Emmett booms, holding us both in a bear hug of epic proportions.

"I think you've already accomplished the scarring for life part Em," Edward wheezes, trying to remove the bigger man's arm from around his neck, "Can't breathe, brother bear!"

Emmett drops his massive arms from around us, "Oh shit! Sorry Eddie, Bellie! I didn't mean to hurt you! Guess I'm just real excited about all of us doing this together, you know? It's like getting to experience another rite of passage with the people I consider my family!"

Edward and I glance at each other, we both know he could have broken Emmett's hold on us at any time, but it would bring up how he knew what to do. "It's alright you big lug," Edward chortles, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand and adjusting his glasses with the other, "You just need to be more aware of your own strength."

We are fortunate enough not to have any more episodes involving Emmett nearly loving anyone to death while we enjoy a late breakfast with our odd family.

The walk to the tattoo parlor is full of Emmett craziness though. He keeps singing different songs from Monty Python, including his favorite, Sit on My Face. It clashes badly with James' parody of Lady Gaga's Poker Face. His is called Poke Her in the Face. He says his friend Wendy sent it to him on YouTube. Edward and I are ready to turn and run for the hills when Emmett suddenly announces that we have arrived.

We follow Emmett inside, where he proceeds to explain to the guy manning the front desk what all eight of us are going to have tattooed. A black 8 inked vertically on our left wrists, no frills, perfectly symmetrical. The man looks amused until my adopted brother explains the significance of the tattoo, then he becomes almost reverent. We get lucky and four of us are able to go at once. The boys offer to go first so that us girls can see what we are in store for.

It turns out to be a hell of a lot less painful than my nipple piercings. I'm not really surprised actually. The biggest sock of them all is when the tattooists ask if they can get a picture of all of our wrists in a circle for them to put up on their wall. We agree under the condition that they take a picture for us as well.

On the way back to the hotel, Jasper and James start singing 'Teenagers' from My Chemical Romance, and by the time we reach the hotel, we're all singing it as loud as we can. We get a shitload of weird looks from people, but we're just too damn happy to give a shit.

Victoria tries to get us to play an impromptu game of Twister in the elevator, but we end up laugh to hard to do much but fall over one another. I've never been so glad that we were sharing the floor as when I was the first one to tumble out when the doors open, making me the bottom of the ensuing pile of squawking teenagers. Alice ends up on the top, giggling like the evil pixie she is.

It takes five minutes for everyone to get on their feet and trudge towards their hotel rooms. Edward, smirking, once again carries me over the threshold and to the bed. "I've been dying to get you back here all damn day," he murmurs as we shed our clothing and begin feasting on one anothers bodies.

"You're not the only one," I admit between kisses, "I don't want to leave this room until tomorrow afternoon when we check out."

After a few more kisses, we pathetically end up falling asleep on one another, our adrenaline finally run its course.

I have no idea when, only that it's dark outside when I feel Edward kissing his way down my neck.

He runs his tongue over my nipple, then blows gently, making me moan in delight as the flesh puckers under his breath. I reach down between our entangled bodies and grasp his prominent arousal. He hisses in response and his hips buck to create more friction. I tease him further by moving my hand at an agonizingly slow pace, refusing to let him set the pace.

"More," he pleads breathlessly against my breast before his mouth engulfs my throbbing peak.

I nudge him so that he rolls onto his back, carrying me with him. I straddle his hips and none to gently impale myself on his hardened length while he suckles me with reckless abandon. Instead of lifting myself up, I start rolling my hips and both of us whimper at the sensation it creates.

I can feel the tightening in my body immediately, it's not going to take much for me to fall over the edge. Edward seems to know this because he suddenly thrusts upwards into me and I cry out his name as I'm blindsided by one of the most powerful orgasms I've ever had in my life.

Edward doesn't relent, he grasps my hips and is plunging into me harder than before when his cell phone starts singing 'Pretty Fly For a White Guy' from the Offspring. "Ignore it, it'll stop in a second," I growl when he reaches for it.

His features and voice are remorseful when he answers me, "I can't ignore it, that's my dad's ring-tone love." I go to move, but his right hand holds me in place while he flips open the phone with the other.

"Hey dad," Edward grumbles into the phone. I twist my hips slightly and he bites down on his knuckle to keep from alerting his father to our carnal activities. "Nothing dad, everyone decided to turn in early after walking around downtown all afternoon. I forgot to put my cell on the charger and it went dead. I plugged it in before I fell asleep watching Army of Darkness with Bella.."

Then all of the color drains from Edward's face and he reaches out and takes my hand, "What was that? When How? Where?" He sits up and pushes me off of him, "Yeah—fuck—I'll tell them...Yeah, we'll be on our way as soon as I can wake everyone up. I love you too dad. Tell mom we're okay and I—we-- love her too."

He slams the phone closed and pulls on his boxers and jeans before turning to me, "Get dressed Bella, we need to talk." He types out a text and hits send before pulling his shirt on and lighting a cigarette for each of us.

My heart, already beating erratically, starts pounding in my chest as I dress. "What's wrong Edward? Did something happen?" I push as I watch him pace frantically. I chance a glance at the clock on my own phone. Shit, 1:13 am, whatever it is, it's not good, or Carlisle would have waited until morning to call.

A pounding on the door makes me jump and I rush to answer it. Edward must have texted 911 to the group because they silently file into the room, looking as scared as I feel. My husband keeps looking at me, then Jasper while we all find a place to sit.

"Jasper, please sit by Bella," Edward instructs while walking over and kneeling at my feet.

My brother trades spots with Alice and winds an arm around me, "What is going on Edward?"

His eyes are sparkling now, wetness threatening to overflow as he takes my hand and kisses it once. "At 12:45 this morning, a car was found smoldering down one of the rarely used roads on the reservation. The car was a Supra and it had two half-burned corpses in it. They've been identified, by Paul, Kate, and my father as Jacob and Leah Black. Carlisle says the bodies show signs of torture, along with bullet wounds to the back of the heads," he reveals in a strangled, broken voice.

"Fucking Volturi," I choke out just before I hear everyone start screaming and my world goes black.

**_Bet you didn't see that coming!_**

**_Love it? Hate it? Press that little button at the bottom and let me know either way!!_**


	15. Chapter 14 Fickle Fate

**I don't own anything copyrighted, we all know that.**

**In order to become an immaculate member of a flock of sheep one must, above all, be a sheep. **

**I am a speed-bump. **

**:-P**

**A/N: Wow! Those who did review seemed a bit....um....emotional about what I did to Jake and Leah. I'm sorry if you were upset, but thank you very much for your responses!!**

**Also, I know I dropped the ball and didn't update sooner, but in my defense, my hot water tank had an epic fail and flooded my bathroom, bedroom, and my daughters room and my hubby and I spent all weekend trying to get a new one in and getting the trailer dried out!**

**Links to the wedding dresses, zoot suits, wedding rings, and infinity tattoo now on my profile!**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 14**

**Fickle Fate**

**~Edward~**

"They're asleep," Alice whispers, turning in the seat to gaze at me through the dark lenses covering her bloodshot eyes.

I glance in the rear view mirror to see my wife wrapped tightly in her brother's arms, her head on his chest and his own resting on top of it.

"We'll be home in under an hour, less if this rain lets up a little more," I inform the tiny, rattled woman, "Why don't you catch a nap while you can Shorty, I don't think either of us will get another chance any time soon."

She nods and snuggles under her husband's black half trench. I'm certain that she's fallen asleep when suddenly I hear her speak, her voice more of a breath than a whisper. "Edward, what's going to happen to Bella and Jasper now? The Volturi are going to kill them, aren't they? And when they're done with that, they'll be coming after us."

I barely manage to choke back the panic suddenly coursing through my veins. After quickly assuring myself that my hand is steady, I reach across the space and take her delicate hand in my own. "We won't let anything happen to Bella, Jasper, or anyone else little sister. We will not lose another person we love."

I am relieved that my tone sounds calm and reassuring because I have no idea how I would be able to hold myself together if she started falling apart on me right now.

"How do we save everyone Edward? Is that even possible? It's not like skipping school, after all, this is the fucking honest-to-gods mafia we're talking about here," her blue green eyes glimmer with wetness and fear as they turn up to me.

I rub what is hopefully a soothing pattern on her hand and choose my next words carefully because I can see that the eternal optimist in Alice is amid a full scale retreat at the present time. "Well, my beautiful little imp, they think they have the upper hand right now because they haven't found out what this family is like when someone fucks with us. The Volturi are in for one hell of a wake up call once they realize that if you fuck with one of us, you fuck with all of us. I can guarantee that once we're done with them, those motherfuckers will never harm another soul ever again."

I see her jaw set with new-found determination and she bobs her spiky head in agreement, "You're right. And I know something that will help, I think. I talked to Daddy before we headed out. He said that he's calling Uncle Ben."

It takes me a minute to recover from her revelation. This shit must be real bad if uncle Laurent is calling his half brother Ben and, subsequently, Ben's wife Tia.

When I was thirteen, I made the mistake of asking my adopted uncle what his brother did for a living because I was infatuated with the idea of being able to travel around the world for my job like Ben and his wife do.

He informed me that if I combined the movies Hostel and the Bourne Identity, I'd have a tiny morsel of insight as to what their job was. I was never so glad that all four of us kids were sleeping over together as I was that night. I clung to them like I was drowning.

I blow out the breath I'd been holding and nod solemnly, "It doesn't hurt to put the big guns on stand-by, as back up. Don't panic on me Alice," I quickly add, hearing Alice's quiet gasp, "In this case, calling them is like a guy carrying a condom in his wallet. It's better to have them handy and not need them than need them and not have them."

She wrinkles her nose and makes a face, "Edward—that was---seriously--eeww. Never say anything like that to me ever again, it felt so incestuous it's not funny."

Despite the gravity of the situation, I chuckle under my breath at her little quip, "I promise to do my best Ali, how's that?"

She nods, then lets out an unwilling yawn, "I'm going to try to get that nap in now, unless you want me to keep you company?"

I squeeze her hand gently, "Um Ali, I was the one who suggested you got some sleep in the first place."

Her cheeks flush as she recalls my words, "Oops. Sorry Edward, my brain is kind of on the fritz right now."

I nod in acceptance and return my focus to the blacktop in front of us. There is no way in hell that I was going to tell the woman I considered a sister that I was grateful for the silence, it would hurt her too badly right now. I just need a little more time to get my head on straight before helping Bella work through yet another tragedy that I could not protect her from.

Less than fifteen minutes from the outskirts of Forks and I realize that I have no idea where we are supposed to meet our families. I'm fairly certain that it will not be at Kate's, and I don't know if everyone will have gathered at my house or went over to Jake's to field the phone calls that were no doubt pouring in. My aunt and uncle were very kind people and many loved them. After another glance in the mirror to make sure that my wife and brother-on-law are still slumbering, I pull out my cell and call my father.

It only takes half a ring before I'm greeted with a scary-calm, "Is everything alright Edward?"

Yeah dad, my wife, my best friends, and everyone I care about is being fucking hunted by the Volturi and it's probably my fault, why wouldn't everything be just fucking peachy? "Yes, as good as can be expected," I answer just as calmly," We're just outside of Forks now, where are we meeting at?"

I hear him cover the receiver and talk to someone, most likely my mother or aunt Kate, so I take the time to crack my window and light yet another cigarette. I glance inside the pack and notice I've only got three left. Fuck, I'd smoked almost a whole pack since I woke up five hours ago. Got to stop at the gas station on the way in, pick up a carton, Bella's Red Bull and her cappuccino.

"Edward, you still there?" Carlisle's concerned tone snaps me out of my musings.

"I'm sorry dad, we were passing a logging truck and you know how they make Bella and Jasper nervous," I lie without missing a beat just as we actually pass one.

"Yes, I remember," he qualifies in a low tone, sadness lacing it, "Why don't you kids take Bella and Jasper home? Kate and Laurent are over there and those two might want to be someplace that feels familiar and safe to them right now. Your mom wants one of you to call when you make it there. Edward, son, I'm sorry I was so---difficult about, um, your relationship with Bella and I just want you to know I was so worried because I lo--"

I interrupt him, this is not a conversation that I want to be having while Bella was close enough to hear, "I know dad, and I love you too. Look, it's starting to rain harder and I really have to concentrate on driving now so I'm going to hang up, okay?"

"Yes of course! I will talk to you again as soon as I can," my father answers and I shut the phone.

I sent a quick text to James, asking for him and Tori to stop and pick up a few things, and another to everyone else, telling them where to go.

As our caravan comes to a halt before Jake and Leah's massive garage, the rain lets up just enough that I can see Sam, Emily, and Sam's dad Jared standing on the front porch that takes up the front of the house.

I ignore their inquisitive stares and reach back to nudge Jasper awake. "Jazz, we're at your place man, you want me to carry her in or do you want me to get Alice?" I ask when his eyes bolt open.

He stares at me blankly for a moment until his memory of why we're home in the first place floods back. I can see his silver orbs grow thunderous in their sockets and his shoulders stiffen with tension once again as he looks at his last living relative, then to his wife. "Can you get Ali and carry her to my room? I—I really don't want to be away from Bella right now," he strokes her head affectionately as he speaks.

Jasper's afraid that he's going to lose her too. I don't blame him for wanting to keep her as close to him as possible. I don't want her out of my sight either.

I shut the car off and shove the keys in my pocket while opening the door, "Not a problem Jazz, anything I can do to help."

I get out and move around to the other side, not looking at the others who are also exiting their vehicles. I open both doors so Jasper doesn't have to fight with the latch with Bella in his arms. I scoop my sleeping sister up and shut the door with my foot as her head falls against my shoulder.

I'm surprised to see that Sam and Laurent have appeared, holding umbrella's over us as we carry the girls inside.

"_Comment vas-ils?_" Laurent whispers as we trudge through the drizzle, worry etching itself onto his face when his eyes move to his niece and nephew walking ahead of us, under Sam's huge red and white umbrella. I am so glad that all of us were raised to be fluent in his native tongue, he often falls back into it when he is nervous or upset.

I shrug my shoulders slightly, "They're doing as good as anyone can, I guess, after losing a second set of parents. Bella hasn't spoken a word since she fainted when I told everyone, she just smoked and drank Red Bull until she fell asleep in the car. Jasper has been the same except he's spoken, although it hasn't been anything louder than a low whisper. They have clung to one another like that ever since Bella woke up in the hotel. I think that they're afraid that someone is going to force them apart now."

"_Mon __nièce__et __neveu_," he sighs morosely, "They have been through so much pain in their young lives, _il brise le cœur_, breaks my heart. I do not know where they continue to find the strength when I have seen adults crumble over much less. Unfortunately this is what may be the thing that breaks them."

"I don't pretend to know the future uncle," I reply as we step through the door, " That's usually Alice's thing. All I can say is that we do every damn thing we can to prevent that from happening. _J'ai essayé 'd'accord'?_ "

He gives me a sad smile and nods towards his step-daughter, "_Oui, _I agree. Where is _ma petite_ going to sleep? In Bella's room? Or a guest room?"

I shake my head no, "Jasper asked me to put her in his room. He believes she'll sleep better there. Is that okay with you?" I add the question on the end, not wanting to blatantly disregard his ultimate authority over the girl in my arms.

My uncle pats my shoulder, "_B__ien sûr_, of course it is. I am not blind to how _ma fille_ _et _Jasper feel about one another. He is already, _un fils,_ a son, to me."

I bite my cheek and start up the stairwell to the second floor. If Laurent knew how accurate his words were, I don't think he would be so understanding about his daughter being in Jasper's bedroom.

When I reach the door, I see that it's already been opened a crack and when I push it with my foot, I find Jasper curled around Bella on his bed. They both raise their heads to look and see who is intruding, their hostile masks melting away when they see it's just me and a still dozing Alice. I offer a little smile to my Isabella as I close the door and pad across the floor. Only the corner of her mouth twitches in reply and I remind myself that it has to be enough for now.

After I've laid Alice beside her husband and crawled in behind Bella, I chuckle to myself that I didn't even think twice about the idea of the four of us laying like this. The feeling doesn't change when James, Tori, Emmett, and Rose ghost into the room and make their way towards the huge bed as well.

Jasper and I simply sit up, our backs against the headboard, and pull our wives closer so the others can find a comfortable spot. If it had been anyone but those four, I sincerely believe that Jasper would have thrown them out so fast it would have made the person's head spin.

Everyone shifts around until we're comfortably situated, each person touching at least two others. This is how we are most at ease together, everyone in contact, wrapped in our own little bubble. This is also where we are able to lower our defenses and grieve together, our group wrapped protectively around the two who hurt the most. This is my family.

And the Volturi will pay for causing them this much pain.

Bella lifts our entwined hands up, gazing at our wedding bands for a long minute before planting a kiss on the ring. I twist our hands so that I can mimic the action on her own band, then give her a chaste kiss on her lips.

I'm about to ask if she needs anything when a soft rapping on the door startles us all. Aunt Kate's head pokes in the gap that appears, "I didn't know if any of you kids were hungry, but there is plenty of food if you want to come down and grab something."

"I could go for some grub," Emmett announces, slipping off the bed and pulling Rosalie up with him. She is murmuring in agreement as she stretches the kinks out of her lithe frame. James shakes Victoria's shoulder, rousing her from her nap, and asks her if she is up to eating. She groggily consents and he helps her from the bed while she tries to brush her flaming curls away from her face.

I drop my head down so my lips are close to my kismet's ear, "Are you hungry love?"

She nods her head once, but doesn't speak as she sits up and clamors over to the edge of the bed. Her body trembles as a shiver runs through it and I immediately pull my hoodie off and tug it over her head.

Her mocha eyes lock onto mine as they reappear from under the sweat shirt, a spark of emotion flaring from orbs that had appeared dead since she heard the terrible news. I'm preparing to take a step back when suddenly she holds out her hand for me to take, wiggling her fingers expectantly.

I gratefully slide my hand into hers, my heart soaring at the seemingly insignificant gesture. Only those in this room could fully grasp how momentous that really was. Bella hasn't wanted anyone to touch her but Jasper and myself all day.

Jasper and Alice move to her other side and Jasper takes his sister's free hand in his own. As we make our way down, Bella drops her hand from her brothers and snakes it around his waist. He lays his arm across her shoulders and kisses the top of her head, thanking her for her action. I notice a trail of shimmering wetness running down from my brother-in-laws eye.

The grieving siblings make no move to separate when we reach the stairwell, so I press my lips to Bella's temple and release her so she and Jasper can walk down unhindered. Alice sees this and also steps back to let them walk down alone. We exchange an understanding look before she huddles into my side. I hold her to me as we follow the duo into the kitchen, ready to do anything we could to ease their suffering.

**~Bella~**

Minutes, hours, even days could have passed and I would have been oblivious. There are only a handful of things my mind registers. One is my proximity to Jasper. If he moves more than a few feet from me, I can feel my chest begin to tighten. If he leaves my sight all together, that spells a full out panic attack. I know it's not rational, but every time I can't see him, I get so scared that he's never going to come back.

While we were laying on his bed, Jasper whispered to me that he felt the same exact way. I couldn't force the words out, to tell him that I was experiencing it as well, so I had to compromise by wrapping my arms around him and burying my face in his neck.

We had laid there for an immeasurable amount of time, with our family joining us, surrounding us, protecting us. I tried not to think about what was before us. I don't remember going to my mother and father's funeral when they died mainly because Jasper and I were still in intensive care when it had occurred. The only funeral I remember going to was Mike Black's, an friend of Jake's who died of cancer when he was just 19 years old.

Would we live that long? How long am I going to be able to call Edward my husband before my worst nightmares become a reality? My eyes drift to my kismet's hand that is holding mine. I can't see what I'm looking for so I raise our interlocked hands and move them until I find his platinum wedding band.

The slight movement causes the row of diamonds to sparkle in the light as if to tell me something, but I cannot decipher their meaning. My own rings capture my attention and I let my mind drift to our beautiful, if not a little crazy, wedding. The sound of his voice proudly announcing 'I Do' rings through my head as I kiss his band impulsively.

His sharp jade pools flash from our hands to my face and he slowly maneuvers our hands around to return the kiss, reverently pressing his lips to my own band. I'm trying as hard as I can to make my mouth move so I can tell him how much I love him when there's a knock on the door.

Aunt Kate steps just inside the doorway and asks us if we're hungry and that there's enough for everyone. I know I should eat, but I have no appetite. I would rather lay here between my brother and my Edward, surrounded by the rest of our family, than anything else.

Emmett says something about food and I feel him and Rosalie get off the bed and I can see James waking Victoria up and asking her if she's hungry.

Edward leans closer and I think that he is going to kiss me until he speaks, "Are you hungry love?" I can hear the worry in his voice, no matter how hard he is trying to cover it. Shit. I'm going to have to eat.

I bob my head once and start crawling to the side of the mattress. After I'm on my feet, I realize that I'm absolutely freezing without everyone's body heat to keep me warm.

Suddenly I feel something pulled over my head and it smells like Edward. I feel his gaze on me, watching intently as he pulls the hoodie over my body. My heart floods with my love for him and I reach my hand out to him, not wanting to be deprived of his loving touch.

I can feel his hesitation, I think he's afraid that he's going to hurt me. I haven't let anyone but him and Jasper touch me since I woke up after fainting. It wasn't anything anyone had done, I just keep feeling like I'm going to fly apart and it gets worse when anyone gets too close. I wiggle my fingers at him, quietly encouraging him to take it.

He gives me half of a crooked grin and takes my hand, squeezing it gently. I feel Jasper take my other hand and we begin the trek back to reality and, ultimately, people who feel sorry for us. I don't want their pity, I just want left in peace. I want my fucking family left alone.

When we reach the stairs, I see the shine of unshed tears in my brother's eyes so I let go of his hand and wrap my arm around his waist. He gives me a sideways wink just as Edward drops his hand out of mine. He must have seen Jasper's eyes and realized that my brother needs me more than anyone right now.

I tighten my grip on my brother's shirt as we emerge from our protective bubble and fall into the living hell that is my reality. Almost immediately, the faces of Alice's parents come into view.

I'm so glad the neither of them make any indication of trying to hug my brother and I, instead they offer tiny smiles and a nod of hello. Kate raises one manicured hand and waves it towards the literal buffet of food where Rose and Emmett are already filling their plates.

Jasper turns his head to me and raises one eyebrow, his slate-hued orbs flickering between my brown ones and the food. I bite my lower lip but nod and he pulls us towards the smorgasbord. I release my hold on Jasper and feel Edward's hand slip back into mine as my brother and Alice get something for us to eat.

We sit at the oval dining room table and consume our food, I can't even taste what I'm putting into my mouth. Edward sits to my right, Jasper to my left. Emmett sits across from me, occasionally reaching across the space to try and pat my hand. I simply draw my hand back in silence and keep eating. I try to concentrate on the conversation going on around me, but it sounds so far away that I soon get flustered and give up altogether.

At some point I notice Alice and Edward clearing away our dishes as Jasper helps me to my feet. His arm is once again wraps around me and Edward has my free hand as they lead me back up the stairs, this time to my room. Seth's nails clicking on the hardwood alert me that he is loping along after us.

"Alice is going to help you get a shower baby girl," Jasper mutters against my hair and plants a kiss there before handing me over.

I briefly look up from the floor to Edward, who presses his lips to my forehead and nods encouragingly, "Jasper and I will be right here waiting for you love, take all the time you need. I'll get a shower too so you don't have to wait for me."

Alice lightly tugs on my hand, urging me to follow her into the bathroom. "Come on sis, let's get you washed up and into some comfy pj's sweetheart. Sound good?"

I resist the urge to wrench my hand away and draw it to my chest, the new resting place for my hands when no one is holding them. It's not her fault I'm having a breakdown, she's just trying to help. My sister-on-law guides me into the room and releases my hand to open the shower door and turn the water on.

Suddenly I'm sitting on the toilet, in Edward's hoodie and a pair of navy yoga pants, my vampire duck slippers on my feet as Alice carefully combs out my long hair. I cannot recollect how I got there. Wasn't I just standing over by the door?

Where are Jasper and Edward? I have to find them. Now. The pain in my chest starts thrashing and clawing inside of me and I push my hands to it to keep the monster contained, hoping it will work long enough to reach my husband and brother.

I stand up, ignoring my sister-in-laws muffled protests and dart into my bedroom. The light is dim and the monster in me starts screaming, making it hard to breathe. I hear a whimpering from somewhere and suddenly Jasper's face appears out of the shadows that are hanging by the curtained windows.

As he starts towards me, I leap forward into his arms. "Ssh, I'm right here Bella, I'm not going anywhere," he murmurs, stroking my hair. I look up to him, questioning. He knows what I'm asking for. "Edward went into my room to shower and change as well, remember? He will be back in just a few minutes."

I nod and rest my head against his chest, the monster not as strong now that my brother is helping to keep me in one piece. Jasper lifts me in his arms and I feel another take over the burden of my weight. Alarmed, I open my eyes to find Edward carrying my over to a new addition to my room, Renee's old rocking chair. He lowers us down into it and I tuck my face into his shoulder as Alice covers us with my black chenille throw. Edward begins humming as he gently rocks us.

A little while later, I open my eyes and scan the room to find Jasper and Alice in my over-sized bean bag next to us, curled under a sage green comforter. James and Victoria, along with Emmett and Rosalie, are sound asleep on my bed. Seth is sleeping under the bed, his massive paws poking out from underneath the black dust ruffle. I can hear Kings of Leon drifting out of my iPod deck, Jasper must have turned it on earlier because they're one of his favorite bands.

A figure hovering in the doorway startles me, making Edward sit up and look around at the sound of my gasp. "What's wrong?"

I point to the figure and they step forward into the room. It shocks the hell out of me to discover that it is none other than Carlisle, and he looks worried instead of pissed off, for once.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you Bella," he confesses in a low voice as he halts a safe distance from where we are sitting, his amber eyes contrite, "I just wanted to check on all of you before I turned in for the night."

"It's alright dad," Edward says, his own voice rough with sleep, "We're all just a little jumpy at the moment, I'm sure you can guess why."

Carlisle's blonde hair bounces as he nods, "I understand son. Well, now that I've managed to be a jackass yet again and scare Bella, I think I'm going to bed before I do anything else stupid tonight. I love you Edward. Goodnight kids."

"Love you too. Night dad," Edward mumbles, shifting under me to get more comfortable as his father retreats to the hallway.

Once Edward's breathing evens out again, I deftly extract myself from his lap and pad into the bathroom for a human moment. My reflection in the mirror catches me as I go to walk out. On my right cheek is a large, angry purple bruise that disappears under my hairline. It must have happened when I fainted. I reach up and give it an experimental touch and am rewarded with a dull throb. Lovely. Why didn't I notice it before? I shake my head and turn from the vanity.

I plod back into the bedroom, mindful of my slumbering family, and pick up someone's pack of cigarettes up off the dresser before opening one of the large windows and lighting a cigarette. I notice Alice shiver at the breeze now coming in so I step out onto the narrow balcony and close the window behind me.

Oddly enough, James is already standing out there, his elbows on the wooden railing, as he watches the rain fall. His blonde hair is damp, it looks like he had stuck his head out into the downpour. "Stupid question time Bellie," he says as I move to his side, "How are you holding up?"

I shake my head and shrug, no sense in lying now. I absently rub Seth's head, glad that he's followed me out. His tails swishes his joy as I pet him.

He nods then flicks his cigarette into the darkness, "Got it. And don't worry, I'm not going to give you any bullshit lines. I'd rather mention the really nice fucking bruise you managed to give yourself. Goes great with your skin tone."

I feel my cheeks blaze as I touch the object of humor.

Once his quiet guffaws trail off, he rights himself, "Well, I'd better get back in there before Tori wakes up. Goodnight little sister."

His reference catches me off guard, but I offer a tiny smile in response and hope it doesn't look too much like a grimace. It must work because he grins back at me before slipping through the yawning crevice.

Before I know it, my pack is empty and the sun is rising, it's light anemic because of the pregnant clouds blocking it. My clothes are damp from sitting outside for so long, but I don't feel cold. I can hear the others begin to stir and I know I should go in, but I can't find the gumption to get up so I continue to lean against the window, my knees pulled tightly to my chest. My pup lays to my left, his bulk pressed against me.

The window beside me opens and I give a sideways glance to see who is coming out. It's Edward, bearing two mugs of steaming coffee. "I thought you might like a cup love," he offers in explanation as he sits down and hands one to me.

The hot ceramic stings my chilled hands as I grasp the mug, but I ignore the burn and take a sip of the bitter liquid. I feel something small hit my leg and look down to see a fresh pack of menthols sitting on the stone.

The longer we sit, the more uncomfortable he begins to look. I eventually grow tired of waiting for him to say whatever it is that's bothering him and turn to face him. His head snaps up and I raise my hands in the 'what?' gesture.

He blows out a gust of air and his shoulders droop, "Um, aunt Kate said that the coroner is releasing the bodies to the funeral home today and she wonders if you and Jasper want to help pick things out for the wake and shit. It's going to be closed-casket, but she said if you wanted anything to go in with them, it needs to be gathered and put in before the caskets are sealed."

He reaches out and takes my hand, removing it from the cuff I had been rubbing unconsciously again. "If you don't want to do it, no one is going to make you Isabella. The choice is, and always has been, yours to make."

I nod once and push myself to my feet, mindful not to spill my java. When I step inside, Jasper is by me in a flash. "I'm going to go get a shower baby girl. If you want to get dressed, we can go down and grab some breakfast before the hyenas show up."

"Hyenas are more you're thing Jazz, we're the motherfucking the fag brigade," another voice booms as two more people squeeze into the already crowded space. Quil and Embry.

Quil draws near, throwing his arms wide to embrace me, but freezes mid-step when he sees me stiffen and cringe. "Aw shit sweetie, I didn't mean to scare you," he apologizes, his face a mask of guilt, "I just wanted to give my favorite girlfriend a hug."

Edward walks over and whispers something to them. I utilize the distraction by heading into my closet to find something to wear. As I peruse the hanging fabric, my hands brush and old leather jacket of my aunt's. I gingerly pull it from the hanger, then hold it to my face and take a deep breath. It still smells like Leah's favorite perfume.

I feel arms wrap around me and pull me to their chest. Even with Leah's scent filling my senses, I can smell my husband clearly and let myself relax into his embrace. I passively notice that we are sitting on the floor. When did I do that?

"You've been in here for two hours Isabella," Edward informs me as he stretches his legs out on either side of me, "I've got clothes for you to put on, if you want."

After one last whiff of the leather in my arms, I get up and put on the clothes whoever picked out for me to wear. Edward hands me another one of his hoodies to put on after I don the black mock turtleneck and low rise bootcut jeans. On a whim, I tug on my aunts jacket over it.

I slip out of the closet and over to my vanity, Edward on my heels. "Sit love and I'll brush your hair out."

I sink down onto the stool while my husband begins the arduous process of detangling the rat's nest my hair has become. He doesn't cause me one ounce of pain, even when he takes locks at my temples, twists them, and uses a silver clip to pin them at the back of my head.

When he's finished, he kisses the top of my head, "You will forever be the most beautiful woman I have ever seen my love."

Everyone else is absent aside from my brother and his wife, who are currently watching what appears to be an NCIS marathon on my 27-inch plasma. Jasper is leaning back against the headboard, Alice is sitting between his legs, her head laying back against his chest.

"Victoria's parents threatened to ground her if she didn't come home for a few hours so James took her over," Alice begins answering my again unspoken question, "Rose and aunt Esme took Emmett to be fitted for a suit, they should be back any time now. Quil and Embry are visiting their parents. Mom and Laurent went home to grab a few hours of sleep. Carlisle, Sam, and Emily are downstairs fielding phone calls and shit. Everyone is accounted for Bella, don't worry."

"Do you want a sandwich or something Bells?" Jasper asks from his spot on the bed, "You haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon."

I try to form the words, but just like last time, they get stuck in my throat, so I drop my shoulders and nod.

Edward snakes his arm around me and gives me a hug. I mouth an 'I love you' which he returns before retracing our steps in search of something to eat. I'm still not hungry, but I know if I go too long without sustenance, I could end up fainting again or worse, Jasper have Emmett to hold me down while he feeds me.

This time I serve myself, getting a slice of turkey with gravy on it, a few spoonfuls of candied carrots, and a scoop of scalloped potatoes before claiming the dining room chair that is situated at the far corner of the table.

When we're done, I get Seth's leash and take him outside for a bit just so he knows that I haven't forgotten about him with everything that's been going on. It's also a test for myself, to prove that I can do something besides hide in my room.

A blue Ford Taurus comes down the lane and stops in front of the house. Jessica Stanley and her mother, Gwen, exit the vehicle. While her mom is getting something out of the backseat, Jessica trudges over to Edward and I while Jasper looks on from the porch.

"Bella, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am. Jake and Leah...." she starts rattling off, but goes silent when I glare at her from under my hood.

I can hear that damn sound again, it sounds like a wounded animal. I whip my head around looking for it, but the monster in my chest is making it so damn hard to concentrate.

Suddenly, Edward has his arms around me and is pulling me towards the house and away from Jessica. We burst through the front door, and the sounds of that animal grow louder just as Carlisle appears.

"It's okay Bella, calm down," he instructs in a soothing tone, "I'm going to give you something to help you relax."

Edward tries prying my hands off of his hoodie, but they're firmly locked in place. I feel a pinch on my arm and it sounds like the animal or whatever is right there in the room with us. It begins to grow quieter as the darkness invades my vision.

That's when I realize it.

That sound, the one that reminds me of a wounded animal.

It's coming from me.

My next conscious thought is wondering who the hell is playing a guitar, Leah's going to be pissed about someone rocking out this early in the morning. My second thought reminds me that Leah isn't going to be giving a shit about someone playing a guitar any time soon.

Then they begin to sing. It's Edward's voice. He's sitting out on the balcony playing with the window open. I can see the glow of his lit cigarette tucked under the strings at the end of the guitar's neck.

_It doesn't hurt me.  
You wanna feel how it feels?  
You wanna know, know that it doesn't hurt me?  
You wanna hear about the deal I'm making?  
You be running up that hill  
You and me be running up that hill_

_And if I only could,  
Make a deal with God,  
And get her to swap our places,  
Be running up that road,  
Be running up that hill,  
Be running up that building.  
If I only could, oh...  
_

It's Placebo's take on Running Up that Hill, I can tell by the rhythm of his words. He's singing Jasper's version of it because he swapped out him for her when it comes to talking about god.

_  
You don't wanna hurt me,  
But see how deep the bullet lies.  
Unaware that I'm tearing you asunder.  
There's a thunder in our hearts, baby.  
So much hate for the ones we love?  
Tell me, we both matter, don't we?_

__

You, be running up that hill  
You and me, be running up that hill  
You and me won't be unhappy.

And if I only could,  
Make a deal with God,  
And get her to swap our places,  
Be running up that road,  
Be running up that hill,  
Be running up that building,  
If I only could, oh...

C'mon, baby, c'mon, c'mon, darling,  
Let me steal this moment from you now.  
C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling,  
Let's exchange the experience, oh...'

And if I only could,  
Make a deal with God,  
And get her to swap our places,  
Be running up that road,  
Be running up that hill,  
With no problems

_If I only could, be running up that hill _

It's funny because Alice and her family's religious outlook has had an influence on all our belief's, to an extent. Personally, I'm not sold on the whole deity thing on either side of the fence. This shit with my aunt and uncle has only served to reinforce it.

I push myself upright and slip of the bed. Seth watches me from his spot on the rug as I tread over to the open window and reach out to lay a hand on my husbands shoulder.

He jumps and snaps his head up to look at me, "Geez love, you scared the shit out of me!" he lays the guitar down in it's open case before pulling me down into his lap, "You okay? Dad had to sedate you because you were on the verge of what he called a psychotic episode. I told him you were just really fucking upset. You were out a whole fucking day. Please Isabella, just talk to me. I'm so damn scared right now."

I open my mouth, willing myself to speak, but all that comes out is a raspy croak. The funeral is today then, if I was out that long. The thought once again paralyzes my vocal chords.

He sees how difficult it is and hugs me, "It's alright Isabella. I didn't mean it, it's just frustrating that I can't protect you from all of this."

I grasp his wrist and check his watch. 5:48 am. The shit is about to hit the fan in just a few short hours.

I can't bring myself to remove myself from his lap and he doesn't seem to be bothered by it, so we end up watching the sunrise together before agreeing that it's too cold to be outside without a jacket.

For once, Alice isn't annoyingly perky when given the chance to dress me. It's abnormal, seeing the evil little pixie dressed in a black pants-suit, her hair in neat little pin curls, the ever present glitter absent from her petite form.

Her absolute silence is unnerving as she flits about the space, fixing my hair and applying waterproof makeup after I've donned the black sweater, matching slacks, and a pair of suede calf-length boots.

Everything becomes a blur after I leave my room. The ride to the funeral home passes by in a fog as does the service itself. Things become real when I see the caskets of my aunt and uncle being carried from the hearses to the spot that will be their permanent resting place. My mind kicks into overdrive and I am hyper-aware only because both Edward and Jasper are pallbearers.

I know it's messed up, my brother being one, but he didn't want to stand by and let others usher the only parents we ever truly knew to be ushered into the unknown without knowing they were loved one last time. I don't know where he finds the strength.

People speak, I don't pay attention because something, or rather, someone has caught my eye. Standing behind a few other students who have attended, is a tiny blonde woman. One that is almost as tiny as Alice. My stomach twists as her name comes to me. Jane Volturi. What the fuck?!!! Did she suddenly get her brain set on stupid, showing up like this?!

I don't dare look away from her during the graveside service, I want to know where the little bitch is so I can rip her fucking throat out after this is done. I'm going to kill this bitch if it's the last thing I do on this earth. And then she sees me and does something that will be burned into my mind forever. The bitch fucking smiles at me.

She. Fucking. Smiles. At. Me.

I see red and dive at her.

**~Edward~**

Bella, who hasn't spoken a word in three days, sits quietly as our friends and family offer their last thoughts and prayers for Jacob and Leah. She doesn't cry, she doesn't sob, she doesn't appear to be affected at all by what is happening. I'm going to have to talk to my dad about this when we get home.

Home. That's taken on a whole new meaning in the past few days. Actually it's more of a relative term. I've gladly accepted that my home is wherever my kismet is. My mother figured out what we'd done in Seattle the first day back. She wasn't happy that her nor dad were there to see us get married, but she was thrilled that Bella was officially her daughter now. Esme told me that I should stay with Bella and she would sign any papers necessary to make it official if Carlisle wanted to fight about it.

Technically they are Bella's guardians by default, if anyone would care to ignore the fact that our marriage was an illegal one. Another fact that mom was willing to sign papers for. Right now they're sitting in her desk back at the house, waiting to be signed. In a few days time, Isabella will legally be my wife in every way.

I feel Bella tighten her grip on my hand, but shows no change of expression. At least it's something. I inwardly snort, it's a phrase I've grown used to applying to my wife in recent days. It pisses me off that I'm so helpless, but what can you do for someone who has been through such a tragedy? It's all any of us can do to keep our own grief contained when around either Bella or Jasper.

Suddenly, Bella lets out a bloodcurdling scream and dives across the caskets, clawing at whomever the victim is. I jump to my feet, along with everyone else, and feel myself grow cold. She has Jane Volturi on the ground and is beating the blonde girl's head off of the grass.

I move to intervene, but then Alec appears and reaches for Bell and before I can move, Jasper launches himself at the fucker. They crash into some of the folding chairs set up by the funeral coordinators, fists flying.

Chaos breaks out, people screaming and trying to pull the four people apart. I hear Bella cry out in pain, unfreezing my feet. I throw myself into the mix, grabbing Jane by the hair and tossing her away from my now bleeding wife. Bella doesn't miss a beat, instantly pouncing on the stunned woman.

I see a flash of silver and Bella cries out again, but then growls just as I reach them. As I move to stop what Bella from what she is going to do, she pulls the knife out of her arm and slices open the left side of Jane's face, then rears back to do the right. I manage to grab her hand before she can follow through and she kicks backwards without looking and I just get my leg out of the way before she breaks my kneecap.

"Bella stop!" I yell at her, refusing to let go of her hand, "You can't kill her, you'll go to jail! What would Jake and Leah think about that?"

"I don't fucking care! This fucking bitch killed them, I know it, she deserves to fucking die!" she roars at me, a slave of her grief and rage.

I risk her wrath and lean down until my lips reach her ear, "Isabella, there are other ways. Less public ways. Let her go, for now. We'll get her later, together."

"How?" my wife snarls, her eyes wild and body trembling with unreleased fury.

"Ben and Tia are here, remember?" I tighten my grip on her arm as I spot a police officer growing too close for comfort.

Luckily she relents, allowing me to take the knife and slip it into my jacket before the cop sees it. Bella would go to jail for sure if he noticed it.

I pick her up in my arms as the cop reaches us, "I need to get her to the hospital, one of the broken chairs punctured her arm," I nod towards Jane, "and she needs to go too, it cut her face pretty badly." Truthfully the bitch's face is sliced open, it looks like she's halfway to having a smile like the Joker.

"There will be questions that need answered afterwords," the officer replies, uncertain of what has transpired..

"She just lost the people she considers parents, do you really think she's in her right mind at the moment?" I counter as we walk towards my Camaro, "I know I'd be out of my mind if my parents were murdered."

"Jasper!" Bella whimpers, seemingly oblivious to her injured limb as she clings to my blazer, "Where are you?!"

"Bella?!" I hear him call out and a ruckus rings out from behind us. He comes running up, blood streaming from a handful of superficial wounds. "What they hell happened to your arm Bella?!"

She looks to where he is pointing and looks at it like she's seeing it for the first time. "I'm not really sure Jazz. It's kind of blurry," then she jabs a finger back towards the scene of the attack, "It was them Jasper! That bitch and her fucking brother killed Jake and Leah! Why else would they come to the fucking funeral?!"

Jasper's eyes nearly turn black at her words. "Because they want to gloat Bella. They want to see us wallowing in our misery. Let's get you to the damn hospital, you're bleeding all over the place baby girl."

He pulls off his tie and winds it tightly around her arm, "Keep it tight until the doc can look at it. It shouldn't take too long considering you look like you were just in the middle of a massacre. I'm going to grab Alice and we'll be right behind you."

I'm shocked that he would let her out of his sight, especially with the state she's in right now, but I don't argue. I lower Bella into the seat and probably break every traffic law in Forks in my haste to get her to the ER.

My parents pull into the parking lot just after I get Bella out of the vehicle. Carlisle wastes no time, immediately checking her injured arm as I carry her into the building.

"It appears to have gone completely through her arm, but she's lucky, the wound is clean," he informs us as one of the older nurses approaches, "Bonnie, could you make sure that an irrigation kit is set up in exam four? And please note that the patient is Isabella Swan. If I remember correctly, she reacts badly to morphine, could you have Dr. Weitz bring Demerol?"

"Yes Dr. Cullen," she responds, a sad smile on her face as she gazes at my bloodied bride.

Bella notices the look. "I don't want your fucking pity lady so stop gawking at the orphan and do your fucking job," she spits in a low voice, giving her a murderous glare.

"Bella, please," Carlisle pleads as we walk down the sterile hall, "They didn't do anything wrong, they just want to help you."

"Carlisle, I appreciate what you're trying to do," she looks up at him from under her tangled hair, "But if you're going to lecture me on my manners, you can kindly go fuck yourself. I'm not in the mood for your self righteous bullshit and, unlike Edward and Esme who have to deal with your shit, I have no qualms about knocking out a few of your perfect teeth, if that's what it takes to cease your bitching. Okay pumpkin?" She reaches up with her good hand and pats his cheek as we enter the examination room.

I have to bite back the chuckle that threatens to erupt at the shocked look on my father's face. She had spoken every word in the kindest voice imaginable, which only served to make them more menacing.

My father is cutting away the fabric on her arm when there is a knock and Jasper's head pokes in, "We're here baby girl. Do you want me to stay here with you?"

She bobs her head and he slips into the room, his boots squeaking slightly from the water on them. I feel a slight surge of both envy and jealousy when she instantly relaxes at his touch. Why can't I fucking make her feel that safe? I know it's wrong to be jealous of Jasper, but I'm her husband, goddammit, I should be able to give my wife peace like that.

I rub my face roughly, willing the unwanted emotions out of my head. It's stupid and juvenile to be upset that her own flesh and blood can give her comfort when I am unable to. Instead, I watch Bella's face as my father cleans to wounds on the top and bottom of her forearm, then wraps it with well-practiced ease. She never shows any indication of being in pain while he works on her.

When Carlisle is done, he excuses himself to arrange the paperwork that needs to be filled out. Jasper crosses the room almost immediately and opens the door, admitting Ben. "We've only got a few minutes before Carlisle comes back."

Ben nods and hands him a black cell phone, "Alec has been neutralized but Jane slipped through our fingers. Tia's tracking her now. Use this cell when you're ready to leave, the number has already been put in it."

"What?" I ask, barely keeping my voice restrained, "No, there's no fucking way you're going after them without me."

"Don't you fucking tell me how things are going to happen Edward Cullen," Bella growls as she gets up from the narrow bed, "We're leaving as soon as I go home and get changed. Keep up or shut up time my love."

I grab her shoulders, "You're not a killer Isabella. Please, don't do this. Stay here, with me."

She lays her hand on my cheek and a tear rolls down her face, "I have to Edward. I don't have any other choice. As long as that bitch survives, I cannot."

"Just give me time Bella," I beg, ignoring the tears that have begun streaming down my face, "You and Jasper shouldn't have to do this on your own."

I see a flash of something in her eyes, but she blows out a loud sigh and nods, "Alright love."

I pull her to me and wrap my arms around her. As much as I hope she'll give me enough time to find another option, I can't shake the feeling that some time soon, I will wake up and she'll be gone.

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	16. Chapter 15 Angels of Retribution

**For the millionth time, I don't own any copyrighted material. I just use it to try and entertain people.**

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**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 15**

**Angels of Retribution**

**~Bella~**

"Just give me time Bella," Edward pleads while holding me in a death-grip, "You and Jasper shouldn't have to do this on your own."

I nod and blow out a heavy sigh, "Alright love."

I never thought I would have to lie to my kismet and it makes my heart shatter into a thousand pieces that I have to do so now, but he doesn't understand. Jasper and I must do this.

"Bella, do you want Edward to take you home?" Jasper inquires as Ben slips out of the room.

I know better than to say no right now so I nod, "Yeah, I need to get a shower and maybe lay down for a bit because this is really starting to hurt."

Shit. Wrong thing to say.

"I can get dad to give you something Isabella," Edward chimes in, already dropping his hands and striding across the room to the door.

"I don't want anything Edward, I've had enough fucking pills to last me a lifetime," I snap as I slide on my brother's blazer.

My husband's wince at my obvious reference to the problems I had after he left pulls the guilt a little farther to the surface.

"I didn't mean it like that love," he explains as he turns on his heel to face me again, "I just want to help where I can and I hate seeing you hurt."

"I just want to go home and forget today," I confess, my voice a touch whining.

He doesn't seem to notice, or at least pretends not to. "Your wish, my command," he vows, taking my uninjured arm and wrapping it around his own.

Jasper walks out ahead of us to inform Carlisle of my departure. He quickly produces the paper's for me to sign. "Get some rest Bella and keep that clean."

I wave him off and tug on my husband's arm, "Sure, sure, I remember the drill doc. Keep it clean, keep it dry, no overexertion, and you don't want to see me in here again. Is that everything?"

Carlisle's butterscotch eyes level with my own brown ones, "Just one. Stay safe Isabella."

"I'll try," I evade and let my husband pull me down the hall to the doors.

Alice meets us in the parking lot, Emmett standing guard next to his Rubicon.

"Oh gods Bella, are you okay?" she squawks, her voice rough from crying, "Rose went back to the house with James and Victoria to make food for everyone."

"Food sounds good," I answer, ignoring her question as Edward opens the car door for me.

Jasper gathers his tiny wife into his arms and guides her to his own car after thanking Emmett for bringing her.

The drive home is quiet, my kismet's face a mask of concentration the entire ride. I don't bother trying to ply him with conversation, I've seen that look too many times and know that Edward will only speak when he's ready.

When we arrive, Rosalie sprints to her husband and throws herself into his arms. He picks her up and carries her back onto the porch, with the four of us trailing behind.

To my surprise, Esme walks out just as I stop on the landing to light a cigarette. "You shouldn't smoke Bella, you're too young," she says, her motherly instincts kicking into overdrive.

"We're also too young to be orphans twice over and nothing stopped that from happening," Jasper retorts defensively, lighting his own.

"I can see what this is going to be," Alice sniffles and tugs on my brother's arm, "Let's go before you're mean to someone else who doesn't deserve it."

His granite orbs fall to me and I nod once, "I'm coming in, it's too damn cold to be out here anyways."

I'm greeted with a bouncy wolf-dog and a living room full of weary teens. Edward leads me to the couch and gingerly pulls off my boots before kissing my forehead and wrapping me in an afghan. As soon as I am sufficiently covered, Tori appears with a plate of food for Edward and I.

Silence is the name of the game as we sit and eat. For the first time, no one has anything to say to alleviate the tension, not even Emmett. Halfway through our meal, James quietly informs us that he has to get Victoria home before her parents send a search party out and that he'll be staying with her overnight so she doesn't have to be alone. They take turns hugging everyone, including Esme, before making promises to stay safe as they head out into the fading daylight.

In an almost unconscious move, us three girls move upstairs to shower and change on my side of the house while the guys follow Jasper. I sit out on the balcony, thinking about what is to come, while Alice and Rosalie bathe and put on their comfortable clothes. When they're done, I don't give either of them a chance to question me, rushing into the bathroom with clothes in hand just as Rose comes out.

By the time I'm clean and dressed, I know my time has run out. I blow dry my hair just to get a few more minutes of peace before I get assaulted by my pseudo-sisters. After brushing my teeth twice and putting two coats of lotion on, I prepare myself for the onslaught and open the door.

Evil Pixie and British Bombshell are waiting on the other side."What's going on?"

I weigh my options and quickly opt for feigning ignorance, "Well, I just buried my aunt and uncle today and happened to see their murderers at their funeral. One of them decided to stab me while I was trying to beat her brains in and I'm still kind of upset about it, does that answer your question Alice?"

"Stop playing stupid Bella," Rosalie snorts, refusing to back down, "Don't think we didn't notice how Edward had you in a death grip when you guys came home. Does this have anything to do with Ben and Tia disappearing after you and Jasper's delightful displays of aggression at the funeral?"

"Probably Rose," I plod over on drop down onto my bean bag, "Like I already said, Jane and Alec Volturi came to the funeral. Fucking bitch was gloating at me from the other side of the canopy. I would have killed the bitch then and there if Edward hadn't have gotten to me when he did."

"You aren't planning on doing anything stupid, are you Bella?" Alice inquires from her spot on my bed.

I roll my eyes and suppress the urge to laugh in her face, "I'm seventeen years old Alice and my parents, both sets of them, are dead. Of course I plan on doing stupid shit."

"That's not what I meant and you know it Isabella Marie Swan-Cullen," Alice pushes, her annoyance getting the better of her, "You plan on hunting that girl down and kicking the shit out of her, don't you?"

This time I do laugh, simply because one of my best friends has just made the understatement of the century. "Alice, Alice, my dear little Alice," I shake my head, still snickering, "I promise I'm not going to hunt her down and kick the shit out of her."

One of her dainty eyebrows raises in disbelief, "Really? You swear?"

I place my right hand over my heart, "I swear on the graves of my four parents."

"What are you going to do then Bella?" she asks in a tiny voice.

"Bella's going to kill her," Rosalie bluntly states, "And I, for one, support her 200%. What do you need us to do sis?"

Alice jumps to her feet, "Bella, you can't just go kill someone! That-that's preposterous! You'll go to jail for sure!" She halts her bouncing, "Does Jasper know what you are planning to do?"

I shrug a shoulder and light another cigarette. "We haven't talked about it," I tell her honestly. We really hadn't talked about the actual act itself, it was just implied when we silently agreed to hunt the bitch down.

She hops to the floor and starts walking towards the door, "Fine, I'll go ask him myself since you want to be so damn cryptic."

I can't bring myself to care about her threat and wave her on, "Whatever floats your boat sis, I'll either be here or in the attic when you get back."

She stomps out the door and I get up to gather my things for the trek to the attic, "You can go see Emmett, Rose, I promise I really am going to the attic to read for a little bit. I'll take Seth with me if it makes you feel better."

Rosalie absently chews on her thumbnail for a few seconds then nods, "Okay, but you have to take Seth."

"I already said I would," I mumble and shuffle out the door, my pup merrily shadowing my every step.

Edward is waiting when I reach the attic and I feel my stomach tighten at seeing him gazing out the window he used to leave those years ago. His back is to me, arms crossed, his face set in a grim mask that glows faintly in the moonlight. I set down my book and things before padding over and resting my head against his back then winding my arms loosely around his trim waist. Edward does not speak, but a soft sigh escapes him and he leans into me. He lifts my left hand, kisses my wedding band, then lays my hand over his heart. We stand like this for a long time, neither of us saying a word, but speaking volumes. And then I feel my heart break a little more because

Edward begins to cry.

It's not a loud, violent sobbing, instead it is a quiet sniffling amongst a torrent of silent tears falling on my hand. It's not until I turn my head and my cheek brushes is shirt that I realize that I am crying along with him. We're crying for the time we lost, for the agony we both endured during our separation, for those loved ones who have left this earth, but mostly we cry because we don't know what else to do.

Minutes, maybe hours later, he twists in my arms to face me, his features no longer sorrowful, but determined as his own arms lock around my waist. "I know you are going to leave no matter how much I beg you to stay," he says, his voice low and rough with emotion, "So I'm going to tell you this right here, right now. If you go Bella, you'd better count on me being right there with you because if I'm not, I swear that there is nothing on this fucking planet that is going to stop me from getting to you this time. You are everything to me, my love, my life, my heart and my soul Isabella, I cannot live without you. I will not give you up ever again. Remember our vows, '_For as long as we both shall live'_. I wasn't joking when I made that promise to you."

"Neither was I," I challenge, my tone more harsh than I'd intended, "But I've already told you, I'm going to kill her and anyone who tries to protect her. You need to stay here, safe, with your family."

He throws his head back and growls in frustration, "Bella, you are my fucking family! You are my home, I never want to live in a house, a town, a world where you do not. It was the need to have you in my life that brought death to your doorstep in the first place. These people are monsters from my world Isabella, and it was my selfishness that gave them the means to hurt you. This is my fault. James and I are going to fix this, just give us some time, please Bella."

I push away from him, "And how are you going to fix this Edward? Go throw yourselves to the Volturi? To that sadistic bitch Jane? How does that accomplish anything except returning you and him to the slavery that you worked so hard to escape in the first place? Tell me, who does that fit into your plan of keeping us together?"

His eyes are black in the dim light and I can see him struggling to find an answer. "That's what I thought," I angrily hiss, "You didn't think that far ahead so don't give me this self-sacrificing bullshit when you don't know how your own fucking plan is going to work."

Edward's head snaps us, "And yours is so much better? What are you going to do Bella, slink off in the middle of the night like some fucking vigilante from a comic book and just lay waste to anyone in your path? How is that any different?"

"Mainly because the only one I planned on killing with my own hand was Jane," I counter, "The rest are going to have a rude awakening when their compound burns down around them. Quick, direct, and to the point. Why take them one on one when you can torch the lot of them at once?"

He takes a step towards me, his hands pleading, "Bella, this isn't you. You are not a monster, not a killer. I am. I've killed men to stay alive. You don't know how that feels and you shouldn't ever have to. You are kind and loving and everything I'm not."

"Bullshit Edward," I snort and light a cigarette, "You might have had to do some awful things to survive but you are far from being a monster. You really are just a victim and I'm going to make sure it never happens again."

Edward suddenly wobbles and grabs his head, "I don't mean to cut into your ranting, but I think I need to sit down."

I grasps his hands and lead him into the little room, then gently help lower him to the new futon that we had brought up weeks earlier. "What's wrong Edward?"

He shakes his head, trying to clear it, "I'm just really tired Bella, it's been a long ass day. Give me a minute and I'll be alright. And Bella?"

I squeeze his hands, "Yes Edward?"

"I love you," he murmurs,"No matter how stubborn you get."

I chuckle softly and give him a chaste kiss, "I love you too Edward."

I wait for him to tell me that he's okay, but instead feel him relax and begin to snore softly. I get my blanket and a spare pillow and cover up my sleeping husband. I then make sure to turn on some soft music for him before kissing his forehead and walking back out to retrieve my book.

"I thought he would never go out," Jasper's voice comes up out of the shadow of the stairs, "I was starting to get worried that Ben had gotten the dose wrong. You ready to go?"

"What the hell did you do?" I nearly scream, "Did you drug Edward?"

He runs his hands through his dark blonde locks, "No, I didn't drug Edward, I'm just reaping the benefits of someone who did, now get your ass in gear before that shit wears off and everyone wakes up. We have to be in Seattle by midnight."

"Why?" I ask as he pulls me down the stairs to my room.

"Because we have to catch a flight baby girl," he explains nonchalantly then tosses me a navy long sleeve tee shirt and a pair of jeans, "Now get dressed."

Thirteen minutes later, we're flying down the road in a rental provided by Ben. Jasper has both hands on the steering wheel, the dull glow from his cigarette bobbing as he navigates the road. "Ben got a hold of a few old friends of his that had a soft spot for Jake and Leah, they're going to provide the pyrotechnics. Tia's sister, Kebi, and her husband, Amun, are flying in with a couple of people who have been watching the Volturi for years."

"Why are they helping us BB?" I blurt out, suspicious of the sudden mass willing to commit murder with a pair of teenagers.

He takes a drag from his cigarette and blows out the smoke slowly before answering, "Well, I'm guessing that they have their own reasons for wanting the Volturi dead, but if I'm being honest, I don't really give a shit what their reasons are as long as they do their job."

"Good point," I admit flicking my cigarette out the window and rolling it up, "Who's meeting us at the airport?"

"Ben is. Tia is already in Chicago somewhere with her sister and brother-in-law. Ben said he was Mossad or something."

I lay back and put my head on his leg, "He's an Israeli spy? Why in the hell would he be worried about us?"

"The Volturi have pissed a lot of people off Bells," Jasper chuckles, "We got lucky in the fact that he's on our side. Why don't you get some sleep? We've got a long drive."

"When will you sleep?" I have to ask as I shift around to get more comfortable.

"On the plane of course, silly Bella," he chortles and pats my head.

I close my eyes and think back to the letter I had hastily written for my husband before we left.

_My Dearest Husband,_

_Do not think that I'm walking out on you, on us. I will never love another as I love you Edward. Never forget that, no matter what happens in the days to come._

_I know you'll be angry when you wake up and see that Jasper and I are gone, but try to understand this from our side. They not only had taken you and turned you into a slave, but came to our home, our sanctuary, and killed our aunt and uncle, whom we loved as dearly as our own parents._

_Jasper and I were given an opportunity and took it because this has to end before someone else dies._

_My love, my life, my heart, and my soul are yours, my kismet. I will come back to you._

_My Love Eternally,_

_Your Loving Wife,_

_ Isabella Swan-Cullen_

Now I have to hope that he doesn't hate me for doing the one thing I promised I would never do. I'd left him behind. I wasn't taken against my will, I willingly left my kismet, my soul mate, behind in order to protect him from the horrors that were sure to come. I hope I'll be able to earn his forgiveness one day. All too soon though, my thoughts become as blurred as the darkened treeline and sleep overtakes me.

The feel of the car coming to a stop jolts me awake. I rub my eyes groggily and peer up to my brother, who is talking on a cell phone and looking pleased. His mercury eyes shift down to me and he winks.

"Okay Pete, thanks," he chuckles into the phone, "We just pulled into the parking lot. Yeah, I got it. Later," he shuts the phone and helps me sit up, "Ben and Tia's son, Peter. He's hilarious."

"They've got their son in on this?" I ask as I rub my eyes and look around us. I think we're in a long term parking lot. "Long term parking?"

My brother's blonde head bobs an affirmative as he opens the car door, "Yeah, it's easier for them I guess. Time to go baby girl."

I follow him out of the vehicle and catch my little black duffel that he tosses as I walk around to meet up, "How long till we take off?"

He hitches his own bag over his shoulder, "Pretty much as soon as we get to the plane I'm thinking," he smirks as I link my arm with his.

"Ah, King Smart-ass is out in full force I see, how cute, now answer the damn question BB."

He shakes his head in mock chagrin, "No, honestly Bells. We're riding in a private plane instead of a commercial jet so it leaves when we get there. Why would I lie to you?"

"Because you gain perverse pleasure in fucking with my head," I retort as we enter the building.

Jasper leads us through the maze that is the airport until we reach one of the lesser used terminals. At the end of the hall stands a man and woman who appear to be close to our own ages.

"Well, I see you're still alive, so I'm going to assume that the car was to your satisfaction," the young man jokes.

My brother answers by tossing the keys to him, "And if I would have known you'd gotten the extra insurance on it earlier, that sucker would have seen more airtime than a Shaun White snowboard at the X-Games."

The attractive brunettes smacks the man on the shoulder, "Aren't you idiots going to introduce us? Bella's got a classic case of the 'deer caught in the headlights' look going on."

He snickers and sticks his hand out, "I'm Peter, and this is my girlfriend Charlotte. I'd say it was a pleasure to meet you, but under the circumstances, all I can say is I hope next time will be less angsty."

I shake his hand then hers, "Well, what would my life be without a little angst in it?"

Peter shrugs, "More pleasant and sex filled? At least, that's what I hope mine would be. Come on, we can test the theory out on the plane."

"Dude, you do realize that Bella is my little sister?" Jasper inquires as we follow the couple down the hallway and out on to the dark tarmac.

Again Peter shrugs his shoulders, "And? You've got a hot sister then. Sometimes the best solution to a problem is some home-grown lovin'".

Charlotte leans over to me, "You'll have to forgive him, his parents used him as a basketball when he was an infant and then fed him lead paint three times a day."

"It's alright, I promise," I assure her, "He actually reminds me of my adopted brother back home, just a little smaller physically. All it takes is a rolled up newspaper and a swat on the nose when they take things too far."

Her dark eyes sparkle with mirth as she chuckles, "I might have to try that myself. I've been using the squirt bottle, but he doesn't seem as scared of it as he used to."

"Have you filled it with ice water?" I inquire as we climb into the smaller plane.

She shakes her head no while taking my bag and stuffing it into one of the storage compartments, "Not yet, I was trying to hold off in hopes that he'd come around on his own. Why don't we sit here?"

I take the seat she's offered, "You can't keep giving him the easy out, he'll learn to take advantage of it, trust me. It's better to be more firm in the beginning so that they learn their limitations and once they've proven they've learned the basics, then you can relax you're more stringent rules."

She sits down beside me, "You've got a point. You can't be more than eighteen, how did you get this down so fast?"

I nod my chin toward Jasper, "I have a brother and my uncle acted like a five year old, not that my husband is much better. In that kind of situation, you either learn really fast or get your ass run over."

"You know, we're not really pets Bella," Jasper whines from his seat.

"Keep whining and I'll tell Alice to stop rubbing your belly when you watch tv together," I threaten, trying to suppress my laughter.

He grumbles to himself as he settles in as the pilot announces that we will be departing shortly.

I learn very quickly that although Peter and Charlotte are quirky, they are also hilarious to talk to. They keep me company while Jasper finally gets some rest. Luckily, they don't bring up the reason we're going to Chicago, instead offering good places to shop or eat while we 'visit' the city.

Our flight ends up being surprisingly short. A little over four hours after taking off, we are landing in one of the many airports that dot Chicago's cityscape. In the predawn darkness, we are met by Ben and his brother-in-law, Amun, who drive us to where we will be staying until everything is ready.

The jovial mood of the flight melts away to nervous anticipation as Jasper and I, our arms linked, are introduced to the hurry up and wait game that goes with planning the murder of a mafia family.

At roughly 7 am, 5 am Forks time, Jasper and my cell phones start ringing simultaneously. "I guess we've been found out," Jasper sighs as we stare and the blaring rectangles, "Do we answer them?"

"I wouldn't if I were you," Tia interjects, not looking up from her laptop, "It will just get everyone more worked up because they can be traced. It would be better if you just shut them off. I will get you a phone that is safe to call from."

We look at each other once before hitting the power button on our phones and drop them into our bags. She gives us an odd look and puts her hand out for them. I gather our phones and deposit them in her waiting palm. She proceeds to dismantle both of them and throw them in the trash.

"I don't mean to sound like a bitch, but we're going to need that phone soon if we don't want our family crawling all over Chicago while we do this," I inform Tia, who nods in agreement.

"I have sent Kebi to retrieve less traceable cell phones," she answers, "She will be back shortly. I don't have to tell you how important it is to keep people's names out of the conversation, do I?"

"No, you don't Tia," Jasper replies for both of us, "Thank you for doing this."

Tia waves us off and tells us to get something to eat from the choices Ben brought and to think about showering and sleeping while we have the chance. By the way she sounds, I get the feeling that we won't have to wait too much longer before we get a chance to repay the Volturi. Good, because I can't wait to get my hands on that little bitch and finish the pretty little smile I started.

**~Edward~**

I feel a warm body pressing against my back and roll over to put my arms around my wife. After our argument last night, I had the most vivid dreams of her sneaking off to kill Jane while I slept. I'm almost back asleep when I realize that the body is my arms is much bigger than Bella's. What the fuck?

I sit up to see a pair of big black eyes gazing up at me sadly, then my face gets licked from jaw to hairline. "Dammit Seth!" I grumble and push the lug off the..futon? I scan the room and realize that I'm in the attic still. I sit up and run my hands through my hair. Where is Bella? Did she sleep downstairs?

I stumble down to my wife's bedroom with Seth plodding along beside me. When I push open the door, it reveals a bed that has been made already. "She must be downstairs," I tell the wolf dog, but a sinking feeling in my stomach tells me what I am refusing to acknowledge.

Bella is gone.

I check every room downstairs, including the rec room, and when I find nothing, I return to the attic to see if she left a note. I'm hoping this is going to turn out to be a simple trip out to get breakfast, but again I know better.

In the attic room, I spot a sheaf of paper sticking out from under the blanket. I lean down and pick it up, immediately recognizing my wife's impatient scrawl.

_My Dearest Husband,_

_Do not think that I'm walking out on you, on us. I will never love another as I love you Edward. Never forget that, no matter what happens in the days to come._

_I know you'll be angry when you wake up and see that Jasper and I are gone, but try to understand this from our side. They not only had taken you and turned you into a slave, but came to our home, our sanctuary, and killed our aunt and uncle, whom we loved as dearly as our own parents._

_Jasper and I were given an opportunity and took it because this has to end before someone else dies._

_My love, my life, my heart, and my soul are yours, my kismet. I will come back to you._

_My Love Eternally,_

_Your Loving Wife,_

_ Isabella Swan-Cullen_

I reflexively crumple the page in my hand as I storm down the stairs. "Dammit Bella, why can't you just listen to me for once?"

I stop and look down the hall towards Jasper's door. Bella's note said that her brother has accompanied her on this insane mission. Should I wake Alice before she discovers her husband's absence and panics? Or do I let her sleep a little longer and have the momentary peace that will be shattered soon enough?

I check my watch, it's only 3:45 am. That decides it for me. I'll let the pixie sleep. She deserves her rest after everything that has happened over the past few days. I opt to head down to the kitchen and make a pot of coffee before taking Seth outside. We don't stay outside long and by the time we get back in the house, the java has finished brewing.

At ten till five, my sister-in-law, clad in a black cami top, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers pajama pants, and bear paw slippers, staggers into the kitchen. She completely ignores me as she pulls out a mug and fills it with coffee before moving to the fridge and pouring in half and half as well. I watch from the end of the island, amused with her zombified shuffling.

Then her bleary blue-green orbs settle on me. "Have you seen Jasper yet?" she mumbles while trying to stifle a yawn.

"Not since last night shorty," I evade, feeling the panic try to rear its ugly head.

"I hate it when you call me that, Eddie," Alice whines as she seats herself on one of the stools.

"Touche," I murmur and decide to bite the bullet, "You know, I haven't seen Bella either."

"Maybe they went to get breakfast," the little woman surmises while scratching her head.

I set the crumpled note down in front of her, "I don't think so Alice, not unless they're getting it on the way back."

She picks the note us and reads it a few times before spitting out a string of curses that I never thought I would hear from her. When she finally calms down enough to speak again, she looks up at me as she digs out her phone, "You call Bells, I'll call Jazz, one of them has to answer, right? They wouldn't just leave us in the dark?"

Bella's phone rings and rings, then goes to her voice mail so I hang up and try again. Alice must have had the same issue with Jasper because on my fourth call she is looking furious.

"Jasper Swan Whitlock, I am kicking your ass when you get home," she hisses, "And you're going to be damn lucky if I don't divorce you and make you go through marrying me all over again, except this time I'll make you wear pink!"

She snaps the phone shut and sits there panting. "Alice, you don't even like pink," I muse, trying to distract us both from doing something stupid.

"That's what makes the threat so dubious brother mine, because that just means I'll be more miserable and cranky than usual," she answers with a dark laugh.

"You are one dangerous little creature Alice Whitlock," I laugh and hug her to me.

"And don't you forget it buster," Alice replies as the tears silently begin to fall.

All I can think while I hold my sobbing sister is, when will our family finally earn its peace?

**Okay, horribly short chapter, but I'm having trouble with this story, still. I'm trying, but it feels like I'm headbutting a brick wall,**

**For those who do not have me on author alerts, I've posted a new story, Tempest. It's a colab with my evil twin, dementedevilpixie. Check it out and while you're at it, check her work out, she's in my fave's.**

**You know what to do and you know you want to do it. It's okay, hit that little button, it will make us both feel good.**


	17. Chapter 16 Death Dealings

**Yeah, still don't own any copyrighted material.**

**A/N: There will be graphic content this chapter. If you don't like violence or torture, I suggest you run for the hills. Everyone else, I hope you enjoy.**

**Have to plug a few stories now!**

**Burn It To The Ground and I Know from dementedevilpixie---she is awesome, and my cohort/co-author on our new story, Tempest---she's in my favorites and so are her stories lol**

**Come read Tempest!!!!!**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 16**

**Death Dealings **

**~Bella~**

12:45 am and I'm jammed in a fucking penthouse closet with my brother, waiting for our cue to end the bitch that killed our aunt and uncle. Last night was fight night and her fighter lost so she was bringing him home to probably torture and kill. Just one more reason to make her suffer before her heart stops beating forever.

The sound of keys being jingled and the tumblers of a lock shifting make Jasper and I tense and strain to discern what the bitch is saying as she comes into the room. It's obviously difficult for her, with half of her face having been mangled by the very blade she drove into my arm.

"I dowt carr whaf da hew yew fink," I hear her garbled speech and don't even try to restrict the evil grin spreading across my face, "Gewt da fwuk oowt!"

The door slams and the clicking of high heels on marble moves closer to our hiding spot. The door suddenly opens and we push ourselves further behind the rack of coats, holding our breath. A pair of leopard prints heels sail into the space and the door shuts. It opens again a few seconds later and a tiny hand holding a shoulder holster with a pistol in it fumbles for a wall hook a few times before it catches and then leaves us in darkness once more.

I hear myself utter a low growl and Jasper clamps his hand over my mouth while furiously shaking his head no. I glare at him, impatient to exact our revenge. We know she is now alone because Ben had radioed us and told us that Jane had been on her way up with an escort. She made the escort leave, as is the norm when she plans on a fun night of torturing someone to death. We had found that room in the basement of the hotel earlier and destroyed everything but a few choice items that we thought fitting to use on the little bitch herself.

A few more minutes pass, now set to music. I strain to hear the song playing and snort in surprise. Psychobitch is listening to Broadway music? Well, fuck me running and put it on YouTube.

Jasper is shaking with silent laughter next to me as we get the green light from Ben to proceed with our Inigo Montoya moment.

Jasper stands in front of me as he cracks the door and scans the room before pushing the opening wider and motioning me to follow. We slink through the bedroom, drawn to the pitter patter of the shower running. Perfect. Bitch won't even see us coming. Jasper takes up a guard position and I slip into the bathroom, knife in hand.

Jane's back is to me, her face in the spray and hands in her hair as I slowly open the glass door and take a deep breath before grabbing a fistful hair and yanking her backwards. She lets out a scream, but I stifle it with my other gloved hand. She scratches at my face, but I dig my fingers into her injured right cheek and she whimpers loudly once before becoming silent.

"I told you that I would kill you," I hiss in her ear as I drag her into her living room, "And I don't make promises I can't keep."

She starts struggling when she sees Jasper, who is now digging through the bag of goodies that we'd brought up from her torture chamber. She can see the rows of barbed spikes that he's already pulled out and the two hammers laying beside them.

My brother's head snaps up and he actually smiles at her. "Hello Jane. I hope you don't mind, but we borrowed a few toys from your playroom that I think you should get reacquainted with."

I drop her on the floor but am mindful to keep a good hold on her blond locks as she collides with the marble. Jane tries to scramble out of my reach but I deftly reach down with the knife and stick it in the uninjured side of her mouth as she moves.. She lets out a piercing scream as her own momentum shreds the flesh on the right side of her face.

Her hands shoot up to the wound and I let her fall over as Jasper tosses me the first spike. He hands me a hammer and kicks her onto her back. I kneel down on one side of her, my knees on her chest, and he the other. With one foot pinning her arm and oblivious to her nakedness, he rests the tip of the twelve inch barbed railroad spike against her wrist and swings the hammer. Jane cries out as the tip pierces her skin. I quickly gag her with one of her own contraptions so we don't have to hear it.

"This is for Leah * swing* and Jake * swing*," Jasper growls, tears filling his eyes,"And the fucking misery you've caused my family * swing* you evil, rotten * swing* bitch!"

I can hear the marble crack as the spike is driven into the stone. He peers up at me and I mimic his actions on her other wrist, before we move on to her feet. Her knees and elbows are next. When we start on her shoulders and hips, she loses control of her bodily functions and faints. We contemplate waiting for her to wake up, but Ben informs us that we have less than fifteen minutes to complete our task, so we finish pounding the stainless steel spikes into her joints.

As Jasper finishes stemming the blood flow, I start pouring gasoline throughout the rooms. He takes over that task after cutting off her toes. I am chopping off her fingers as she regains consciousness. I dig through the bag and pull out a sterile sewing kit then quickly restrain her head and sew her eyelids open so she can't help but watch the fire consume everything around her before she dies.

She is pleading with me from behind her gag as she watches me add her severed fingers to the jar containing her toes then spin the lid on and toss it back in the bag. They will be burned and the ashes buried under Jake and Leah's headstone besides her brother's, our testimony to our aunt and uncle that they have been avenged.

"We're ready to go," Jasper states without another look to the ravaged blonde near his feet.

I get a bottle of industrial strength cleaner, open it, and shove a rag deep into it then light the fabric and set it down on the bathroom floor. Neither of us pay attention to the crying woman as we exit the suite and step into the staff elevator, knowing it's security camera has already been disabled.

Ben and Tia meet us at the bottom. Tia takes the bag from Jasper while Ben holds clothes out for us to change into. They get shoved into the duffel with the equipment. Tia gives her husband a kiss and both of us hugs before taking off in a separate direction than us three.

Jasper puts his arm around my waist as we walk out of the building, looking like a carefree young couple out for a night on the town with a friend. Ben covertly hands my brother a set of car keys and points to a nondescript car that we'll drive back to the safe-house while Tia lead and he takes the rear.

Jasper plays the role of doting boyfriend perfectly, including a kiss on the cheek as he holds open the car door for me. Once we are both in, he expertly pulls us out onto the road. I gently rub my injured arm as he drives, trying to soothe away the aching throb that has begun.

Five blocks away from the building, the night sky lights up as the top seven floors explode. All seven stories had been housing various high ranking members of the Volturi clan until that moment. I reach into my bag and light a cigarette for my brother and I. As I hand him his smoke, I notice his impish grin is as big as my own. He turns on the radio and I put my feet up on the dashboard while navigating our way back to the safe house, both of us finally feeling at peace.

Thirteen hours later, after some tearful goodbyes and promises to keep in touch, Peter and Charlotte drop us off at the airport, unable to stay because of classes. Luckily we're armed with new phones so we can finally get in touch with our spouses and family.

I dial the number of the person who means more to me than life itself. While it rings, I prepare myself for the screaming that will no doubt be happening very shortly.

"Hello?" the most perfect voice in the universe greets me.

"Edward, it's me," I simply state, "I'm on my way home."

"Where are you?" he demands, I can hear the engine of a car rev up.

"We're at the airport love," I answer vaguely, hoping and yet knowing that it would not placate him.

"Which fucking airport Bella? Don't piss around, tell me which one we need to drive to."

Oh fucking shit. We? Who else came?

"Didn't I tell you to stay home? Who came with you besides Alice?" I ask, incredulously. It doesn't matter how happy I am that my kismet ignored me and came to either save me from myself or help us in our endeavor.

"That doesn't answer my question Isabella," he growls. This time I hear him talking to someone else as well.

"We're at O'Hare, it had the most outgoing flights. Happy?" I hear Jasper snort beside me, evidently he's having a similar conversation with Alice.

"I am most certainly not fucking happy Bella," Edward snaps in response, "We will be there in ten minutes, don't fucking move."

I roll my eyes, "Where else am I going to go Edward?"

"I don't really fucking know anymore Bella so you're going to have to tell me," he angrily retorts, "Now that you and your jackass of a brother have perfected sneaking off in the middle of the night and not bothering to call for days and tell us that you're okay."

"I'm sorry Edward, I didn't have a choice," I murmur, dropping my head into my free hand.

"And why did you suddenly not have a choice?" he sneers, making my eyes sting.

"Because they were tracking us Edward," I confess in a low voice and the tears begin cascading down my face.

"Why didn't you tell me Bella?"

I shrug my shoulders and Jasper winds his arm around me, "Because we didn't know until we got here. Please Edward..." I can't finish because of my crying.

"Please what? What do you need love?" Edward asks, his voice shifting from angry to concerned.

"I just want to go home," I blurt out as Jasper pulls me to his chest, "I want you, and my aunt and uncle."

"We're pulling into the lot now Isabella," he says in a soothing tone, "then we can go home together. I love you. I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner."

"I love you too," I mumble against my brother's jacket and he rubs my back, "should I hang up now then?"

"Please don't Bella," my husband pleads over the sounds of car doors opening and closing, "I've spent almost a week without knowing where you were or hearing your voice, don't make me suffer any longer."

"Never again Edward, I swear," I vow adamantly, "Where are you coming in at?"

I hear shouting bother over the phone and in the terminal. Jasper yanks us both to our feet to look in the direction of the commotion. He hands my bag to me and grabs my hand, grinning like a madman as we start running to our family.

I see Alice first. My brother drops my hand and skids to a stop to catch the pixie who is leaping at him. I spot James, then Victoria, Rosalie and Emmett as I continue running. Then I see it.

Bronze hair.

"Edward!" I shout over the din of the crowd, pushing my closer to my husband.

His emerald eyes meet mine and he turns from the security guard he'd been arguing with and races towards me, "Isabella!"

Edward's arms open wide, then wrap around me as our chests and lips crash together simultaneously. The warmest feeling in the world takes over my mind as our lips caress each other, it's the same feeling I get every time my kismet holds me in his arms.

I'm home.

**A/N: This chapter was a sneaky little bastard and took me by complete surprise on how it wanted to go. **

**Please don't hate me, I just do what the voices in my head tell me to so they won't hurt me.**

**Reviews are almost as good as being kissed senseless by Edward, or Jasper, or even Emmett or James! Aw, fuck it, who am I kidding? Please, just review!!**


	18. Chapter 17 Graduation

**Again, I don't own any copyrighted material. Bastards.**

**A/N: Who wanted to kill me last chapter? A shows of hands will do. M, put down the pitchfork.**

**Alrighty ladies and gents, we've come to the end of the road. The young lovers are begging for peace and I can't help but give it to them. I'm sorry if this disappoints you, but they've earned their rest, don't you think?**

**Thank you for sticking with me and supporting this story and any of my other work you've read. I know some of you are unhappy about how things have ended, but be thankful to dementedevilpixie and my husband, because in the original draft, Bella and Edward were killed. **

**I had to completely re-adjust my thinking for this new turn in the story and that's a hard thing to do because I'd been working it out in my head since June. Go give Pixie some gratitude by going and reading her stories, she's in my fav's and is also my partner in crime for my new story, Tempest.**

**For the last time, I love you guys, you are the greatest readers in the world!**

**With that said, I now present, drum roll please...... the epilogue.**

**Kismet and Kindred Spirits**

**Chapter 17**

**Graduation**

**~Bella~**

What can I say about the things that have happened in my life? Some were tragic beyond belief and others have been better than any fairy tale I have ever read. I've lived more in my eighteen years than most people do in their entire lives.

Sure, spending that past year in therapy so I stayed out of a foster home was a bitch, but living with seven other wildly independent and amazingly, mostly mature teenagers has helped a lot. I can't complain about the roommates, they're my family, and they made damn sure that all of us hold up to taking care of each other. Hell, James, Victoria, Rosalie and Emmett held off going away to college for a year so we could all go together. If that's not loyalty, I don't know what is.

What's even more of a miracle is we manage to keep the bills paid and food in the pantry. Let me tell you, with half of us working and the other half in school, it's harder running a house than a lot of people would think. I'm so grateful that uncle Jake and aunt Leah taught us how to live on a budget, otherwise the guys would have eaten us out of house and home by now. Alice's uncanny ability to handle money helps too.

I look around the living room as my husband, brother, and sister-in-law ready themselves for commencement and can't help but laugh. Only those three could make those hideous yellow robes look good. They look like fucking supermodels. Ugh. Peter and Charlotte, the newest additions to our crazy clan of misfits, are too busy playing Halo with Em and Rose to notice anything else right now.

Although Peter is closest to Jasper as friends, he has no problem getting along great with any of the guys, and he has become yet another big brother who tortures me mercilessly. Charlotte and Alice are nearly attached at the hip nowadays, just like Rosalie and Victoria. I happily float between the two pairings, never feeling out of place with any of them anymore.

James and Edward suddenly dive at Jasper, who was unlucky enough to get in between the game of catch they were playing with a Nerf football. Seth and Abigail, Emmett's six month old rottweiler pup, look a bit miffed at being left out of the game.

Alice gives the trio of wrestling men on the floor an annoyed look before turning to the rest of us, "It's time." As soon as she speaks, a clap of thunder rattles the foundations, as if to punctuate her words. I can see the rain beginning to fall from my perch on my bowl chair.

"At least we don't have to worry about fire," James deadpans as he wriggles out of the pile of tangled limbs and straightens his black mandarin collar button up.

"Watching the Thirteenth Warrior again Jay?" Emmett asks as he heaves himself out of his bean bag chair.

James shrugs, "So what? It's an awesome movie. You're just pissed because I thought of it first."

Emmett grumbles but helps Rosalie to her feet, at which Victoria laughs, "Hey, I'm the one who needs help here brother bear, give a girl a hand."

Emmett hold his hands out for her and pulls her to her feet gently, careful not to disturb the decent sized baby bump protruding from her torso.

"So when do we finally get to meet baby Breanna?" Charlotte asks while stepping around her still chuckling fiance.

James lovingly rubs his wife's belly, "We'll get to meet Bree about August thirteenth, if the doctors calculations are right."

"I feel like I've been pregnant for years," the glowing redhead groans, but smiles when her husband lays a trail of kisses along her belly before planting one on her lips.

"How's that going to work out for school?" Peter inquires after standing and yanking my kismet to his feet as well.

"We're both going to go part time," Victoria explains, "And the school has an on-site daycare center that is absolutely fantastic. I still can't believe that Kate and Esme strong-armed Laurent and Carlisle into buying that big ass house for us all to live in so we can stay together."

"I'm guessing it had to do with a Rosalie-worthy threat," Edward chuckles as he wraps an arm around my waist and brushes his lips against my temple, "Mom said she threatened dad with no sex until we graduate if he didn't concede and help buy a place for her sons and their wives to live in."

"Who thought being adopted could lead to so much fun?" James laughs as we begin walking to our vehicles, "Speaking of, did you talk to mom or dad today Eddie? I forgot to call before I took Tori to her doctors appointment today."

"Is Carlisle still pissed that he didn't go into pediatrics?" Alice asks before thanking my brother for holding the umbrella over both of them.

Edward, who is also holding an umbrella, bobs his head, "Yeah. He's real pissed that he's had to hand over the care of his first grand-baby to someone else. And yes, I talked to mom, they'll be waiting with Ali's parents when we get there. I guess Ben and Tia are coming in too," he glances at me and Jasper as he says it. We both just smile mischievously in return.

Jasper and I have never told anyone what happened in Chicago. It was and still is something that we agreed that they would never have to hear. We would know for the rest of our lives what we were capable of, that was enough. We could protect our family, and that is what mattered most of all.

Edward opens the door to his new pride and joy, the Aston-Martin Vanquish. It belonged to Carlisle and was brought to tears when Esme and Carlisle presented to him on his eighteenth birthday, fully restored. He had believed it to be totaled during his stint in Chicago with Masen. Edward was right, it had been damaged, but Carlisle had spent nearly a year having it repaired for Edward. He seldom takes it out, claiming it as his 'special occasion car'.

James was not forgotten either. Carlisle thought it be fitting that his sons have matching cars and thus a second Vanquish now graces the massive garage of the Cullen house. The one at our house isn't big enough for the collection, obviously. Jasper and I decided to fix that and construction is currently underway for a three story monstrosity to hold our family's beloved vehicles.

After a chaste kiss to my husband, I slide into the seat and wait for him to get in the driver's side. Edward give me his heart stopping lopsided grin as he gets in and starts the car. I see his eyes briefly close as he listens to the purr of the V12 engine.

I can't completely contain my amusement and he turns his sage eyes in my direction, "What? It's not like you don't do it with that death trap you call a car my love, so let me have my moment."

I plaster a straight face on, "I don't know what you mean." In truth, I have done it a time or two with my new Skyline.

I couldn't buy another Supra after what happened to Jake and Leah, but my addiction to speed kept me from being sensible when it came to choosing another vehicle. If I want sensible, I can always go steal the keys to my uncle's truck from Jasper.

Sensible, smensible, I snort quietly, when has anything in my life turned out well when I've been sensible? Nothing, nada, zip. Fuck sensible and fuck normal, I'll take my crazy life any day.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Edward breaks the silence as he weaves the vehicle ever closer to the school.

I shake my head, "Why do you always ask what I'm thinking?"

He rolls his eyes and smirks, "Because Bella, I am fascinated with how your mind works. Besides, you looked pretty deep in thought over there. Nervous about commencement?"

It's my turn to roll my eyes, "If only. Okay, maybe a little."

"You never cease to amaze me," Edward answers, his voice mirthful, "A psychotic midget stabs you and you chase the bitch to Chicago, but you get scared over walking across a stage to get your diploma. Come on love, this should be like shooting fish in a barrel."

"You know, the guys on Mythbusters proved that is nowhere near as easy as people would think," I challenge, "So you might want to find another analogy to hit me over the head with."

He takes my hand and begins tracing a soothing pattern on it with his thumb, "It's going to be fine Isabella, I'll be right with you the entire time and won't let any of those scary high school graduates get to you."

I yank my hand away and smack him on the arm before putting it back in his, "You're such an asshole sometimes."

He grins impishly at me at steals a chaste kiss, "But I'm your asshole Mrs. Cullen, never forget that. It could be worse though."

"How's that?" I snark as he pulls into the half-full parking lot next to my brother's Mustang.

"You could have married Emmett," he deadpans without missing a beat and kills the engine before stepping out of the car.

He swings the door open and holds the umbrella over me while I shrug on the hideous mustard colored robe and hat before taking his arm and walking over to greet the antsy parentals waiting for us.

Esme and Kate swoop down on us, catching Edward and I in a two sided bear hug. "We're so proud of you kids!" Kate gushes in a very Alice-like manner while Esme's smile is so bright I swear it can be seen from the space station.

They let us go the second Alice and Jasper come into their line of sight and we are given much gentler hugs from Carlisle and uncle Laurent, who both congratulate us quietly while their wives chatter excitedly.

"Look at the strays I managed to find," I hear Emmett drawl as he and Rosalie saunter up, with Embry and Quil in tow.

"I thought you couldn't make it?!" I squeal as I throw myself into their waiting arms.

"Like we would miss the graduation of our favorite girlfriend," Quil retorts and kisses my hair.

"You taking care of our girl?" Embry asks Edward after he too kisses me on the head.

Edward shrugs nonchalantly as Quil drops a muscled arm over him , "I do my best, you know, beat on her a little every other day, try to drown her once a week, the normal stuff."

"As long as you're doing it right," Quil chuckles, neither of them letting go of me as our group begins the ascent to the gymnasium, "You kids still coming our way after graduation?"

"Of course we are," Jasper answers from under Embry's previously free arm, "We'll be on our way bright and early Thursday morning. Is the house ready?"

"Bet your scrawny little ass it is," Embry replies with a satisfied grin, "We've been scaring the daylights out of the work crew so they would have it done on time."

"You weren't having sex in random parts of the house again, were you?" Alice honestly asks as we reach the building.

"Like you would have done any different if given the chance," Quil snorts while we walk inside.

"Damn skippy," James snickers from between Esme and Victoria before grunting at the elbow to the gut that he was unable to dodge from his wife.

"I second that notion," Emmett calls from the front of the group, earning him a swat to the head from Rose.

We go through the double doors and are briefly greeted by Sam and Emily, who are also pregnant. They'd asked Jasper and I months ago if we would be offended if the used Jacob or Leah as names for the baby when it was born. We told them to go for it, it's something our aunt and uncle would have laughed about. Unfortunately we would have to wait until the kid was born to find out which name they would use because the baby had been uncooperative at every ultrasound when they tried to discover the sex.

Soon after, we are grabbed by a stressed out Mr. Banner and shoved in line with the other graduates.

After pulling me back against him so my back is flush with his torso, Edward leans down and whispers in my ear as the frazzled teacher stomps away, "Gee, do you think he's had enough caffeine today? I swear he looked like he was going to jump out of his skin."

"He looks more stressed out than Alice on our wedding day," I muse and let my head fall back against his chest.

We both turn our heads at the sound of a throat being cleared to find Mr. Greene staring at us. "If you could refrain from such public displays of affection Mr. and um, Mrs. Cullen," he stammers, clearly uncomfortable with declaring our marital status so openly.

What can I say? I'm impatient. The day I turned eighteen, I had everything switched over to Isabella Cullen before I even left the house that day. I swear Mrs. Cope damn near had a heart attack when Edward and I presented a copy of our marriage certificate to her, along with the other needed documentation, and requested that the necessary changes be made before school started. Alice had done the same thing the first day of school.

"Not today, Mr. Greene," Edward happily proclaims, "You've pulled that shit on us all year and I'm tired of having to hide how I feel about my wife in this place."

"That's very rude Mr. Cullen," Mr. Greene lamely retorts, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"So is ignoring a valid marriage despite having seen the documentation with your own eyes," my kismet spits, venom dripping from his words, "What are you going to do, expel us? You're damn lucky we haven't decided to nail you with a discrimination lawsuit, so I suggest you scurry along and go annoy someone else."

The older man looks like he's going to explode, but he simply huffs angrily and walks away while Edward and I share a tender kiss before laughing quietly.

After a few more minutes of playing the hurry up and wait game, we're allowed to sit down in the gods awful folding chairs and the last leg of our high school journey plays itself out. Edward and I get wrapped up in watching him finger my wedding rings and before we know it, we hear, "Edward Cullen, Isabella Swan-Cullen," being called out over the microphone.

When it's our turn to walk across the stage, Edward keeps his word and holds tight to my waist as we collect our diplomas amongst the loudest cheers I think a graduation in this place has ever seen or heard. For a moment I peer out into the crowd and imagine Renee, Charlie, Leah, and Jake among them, smiling and applauding as I finally cross the traditional threshold from childhood into adulthood.

Jasper's eyes catch mine as Edward and I walk down the steps and I notice that he is as teared up as I am. Edward doesn't try to stop me when I rush to my big brother and crash into his waiting arms. We hold each other, crying softly, until it is his and Alice's turn to gather their diplomas. We're not left alone for long. Edward pulls me over towards our family, where all the women put their arms around me with the men in a protective circle around us.

Alice and Jasper don't bother going back to their seats when they're walk is done, instead they join our group hug that has shuffled it's way next to the entrance. I hear a woman mutter something, then cry out in pain just before Mr. Greene announces our class as officially graduated. I look up to see Lauren Mallory's plasticized mother limping away and my mother-in-law with a devious grin on her face. I give her a thumbs up and she winks at me as we break apart and hurry outside to beat the crowd heading towards the doors.

The ride home is the final race along this route until we all get sentimental enough to want to do it for old times sake, but none of us try all that hard to win for once. Edward and I still end up being first home, quickly changing into more comfortable clothes for the down time we have before the party starts. Everyone trickles in, including parentals, with Emmett and Rose bringing home cappuccinos for the rest of us.

I let Seth and Abby out to run around while the others dress down when an unfamiliar car comes down the lane and stops in front of the house. The dogs start barking and my family is outside in seconds.

A haggard looking woman with stringy badly done bleached blonde hair gets out of the vehicle. Her expression turns fearful when she sees eighteen people glaring at her. Ben and Tia are climbing off of a motorcycle, fashionably late. I'm guessing that the skin tight jeans, too small tee shirt and cowboy boots this woman is wearing were supposed to be that country girl sexy, but she just looked like a run of the mill junkie to me.

"I'm looking for Jasper Swan," she announces, wiping her hands off on her thighs as she takes in our hostile faces.

"Who's asking for him?" I inquire, my tone icy.

"I'm his mother, Maria," she answers, annoyance seeping into her voice.

"Sorry, I don't know a Jasper Swan," I answer her in the same cold, dead timbre, "Especially with one with a mother named Maggie. There used to be one that lived around here, but his mother's name was Renee."

"It's Maria," she corrects my intentional mistake, "And Renee or whatever was never his mother."

"Then why don't you know where this Jasper is, Matilda?" my brother asks, his voice sounding bored when I know he's anything but, "I think it would be pretty certain that a real mother would know where her son is."

"I made some mistakes when I was younger and I just want the chance to make it up to him," she glares daggers at him, "And my name is Maria, are you people deaf or something?"

"We're not deaf by any means Margaret," I hear aunt Kate say as she and Laurent push themselves to my right side, Carlisle and Esme taking the left. They're now blocking Jasper from her sight. Good, he might kill her otherwise.

"You need to leave right now Madeline," Carlisle commands, is voice wavering slightly in anger, "There is no son of yours here. Please vacate the premises immediately."

She quickly jots down her name and number on a scrap of paper and tries to hand it to me, "In case he comes back. And the name is Maria."

I recoil from her touch and finally snap, "You just can't get the point through your thick fucking skull, can you? We don't care what your name is or what lies you have to explain why you're here. You just want the inheritance. You don't give a rat's ass about my brother, you're still just a gold digging whore. You'll never get your grubby hands on it, so do the world a favor and go put yourself out of everyone's misery."

She stares at me and sneers, "And who the fuck do you think you are bitch? Let me guess, you belong to that slut, Renee? That has to be it, you've got the word tramp written all over you."

Edward starts to move, a growl erupting from his chest, but Carlisle pushes him back and gets in the woman's face, "That's my daughter you're talking about so I suggest you take her advice and get out of here before something drastic happens like me forgetting that my parents raised me to never hit a woman, not that you really fall in that category."

Holy shit. Did Carlisle just defend me? Damn, he did! Carlisle defended me! Better than that, he called me his daughter! Oh crap, that can only mean one thing, the world is coming to an end. At least I'll die happy. I wonder if it's willing to wait until Edward and I are distracting each other before blinking out of existence.

I'm so caught up in my musings that I'm only pulled out of it when the roar of Maria's badly tuned car blows passed us and back down the drive. Good riddance.

"You know, at least shit around here is never boring," Emmett quips after the car disappears and we start filing back into the house, "I'd hate to see what we come up with the first time that happens."

"Let's hope we never have to find out," my husband mutters and pulls me into his arms, "But I don't think we'll ever have to worry about it Emmett. With this family, it's almost a guarantee that something will always be going on to keep us on our toes. It's fate. Besides, all of our wives are danger magnets to an extent. We're fighting Murphy's Law before we ever get out of bed in the morning."

"I'm going to be gray before I'm twenty five, and taking vacations in the psych ward by thirty," James chuckles as music starts floating out of the speakers.

"Claire de Lune," I whisper, making Edward grin as he pulls me into his arms and we begin to dance. I find myself getting lost in his twinkling green orbs and my head starts spinning.

"Stop dazzling me Edward," I mutter and he throws his head back, laughing heartily.

Then his head dips down and I feel his nose skim against my jaw until he reaches my ear. "Do I dazzle you Isabella?" he murmurs and I feel shivers course through my body.

Ooh, he knows he does, the sneaky little bastard, but I can't help myself. "Frequently," I blurt out the same answer I gave the first time he ever asked me that question.

I feel his mouth turn up at the corners, "It's always good to know that I still have that effect on you." His voice drops an octave, making it husky and seductive," Is that what you dream of, my Bella? Being dazzled by your husband?"

"Sometimes," I answer and swallow the lump that's suddenly appeared in my throat, "I mostly dream about being with you, always."

"If I promise to love you and never leave your side, will that be enough?" my husband asks, his lips trembling against my suddenly overheated skin.

"Enough, for now," I breathlessly confess, caught up in the feeling of being wrapped up in him, "What if we promise each other to love one another and never, ever be apart again, will that be enough?"

"Yes, my love, my darling kismet," Edward leans back and gazes into my eyes, "Enough for forever."

His lips connect with mine and I let myself be swept away.

**Yeah, okay, I let both the book and the movie influence my cheesy ending, but what one of us doesn't want a moment like that at some point in our lives?**

**One big thank you, again, to my wonderful readers. There are too many of you to post, but you know who you are and you know I love you, even if things didn't come out as you expected.**

**Now, please, I beg of you for the last time on this tale, review.**


	19. Cyberbullying is a Crime

**As posted on my profile.**

**Oh, and I've heard that the LU (Literate Union) is back on the prowl, trolling and harassing authors everywhere. You've tried to take me down before and LOST, so don't bother. I'm neither amused nor intimidated by your antics. Just go back to your corner and play god amongst yourselves, the rest of us have better things to do.**

**On that note, I am encouraging authors/readers to report any reviews/PMs you receive from any member of the LU or other gang-banging flamers club then IMMEDIATELY block them from being able to contact you. Always remember,**

**CYBERBULLYING IS A CRIME.**


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